Stress is not technically an illness or condition, but it can have a major effect on your life and body. When your stress levels are elevated, you can suffer from anxiety and depression, and it can eventually get to the point where you are losing sleep. This in turn can have a major impact on your work life and relationships. One way to help remove stress is through exercise.
Deep Breathing
Breathing is an automatic function of the body 24 hours a day. If you are feeling stressed, try a deep-breathing exercise. To do this, sit comfortably in a quiet location. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your abdomen. Take a big inhale through your nose and expand your stomach without moving your chest. Once it is expanded, take a big exhale out of your mouth and watch your hand come in. When you have exhaled, contract your abs forcefully, then continue the whole breathing process again for 10 to 20 minutes.
Tai-chi
Tai-chi is a light form of exercise that involves slow, flowing movements of the body. These movements emphasize a conscious flow of energy through the body and they also involve concentration and relaxation. This exercise is facilitated by an instructor and it is done in a class format. Check your local gyms and parks for tai-chi classes.
Yoga
Yoga is a type of exercise that is more intense than tai-chi and it involves more strength. Isometric contractions are held for a set amount of time while your body is in various positions called poses. Poses are done from a standing, seated, lying and crouching position. Like tai-chi, this form of exercise is often done in a class at gyms and yoga studios. You can also get DVDs to learn how to practice at home.
Walking
Aerobic activity is characterized by continuous, repetitive motions of the arms and legs that elevate your heart rate. This type of activity helps to increase weight loss, improve mobility and improve circulation, and it can also release endorphins to lower your stress levels. Types of aerobic exercise include walking, biking, swimming, elliptical training, rowing and stair stepping. Aim for at least 15 minutes a day and if you do not have time to do it all at once, split it up into three five-minute sessions.
Strength Training
Strength training can also be utilized to relieve stress, especially if you do not like aerobic exercise. When you are lifting weights, you do not burn as many calories as with aerobic exercise, but you need to concentrate on the weights that are being lifted, which can take your focus off of what is causing you stress. Also, weight lifting continues to burn calories after you finish the training, unlike aerobic exercise.
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