Countering stress and anxiety with exercise helps fight the negative effects they have on your physical and psychological well-being. While any form of exercise may help reduce your anxiety and stress levels, certain types of activity may specifically help reduce your tension. Contact your doctor if your stress or anxiety occurs longer than two weeks or if it interferes with your activities of daily living.
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient mind-body practice that originated in India. Gentle yoga classes, or sessions that focus on stress relief include relaxing asanas, or poses, that reduce muscular tension that often accompanies stress and anxiety.
A constant state of stress or anxiety may alter your breathing, making it rapid and frantic. Deep breathing during yoga classes helps restore normal breathing patterns, relax your nervous system and triggers your body's relaxation response, or parasympathetic system. The June 2004 issue of "Journal of Clinical Psychology," published research results that caregivers of dementia patients functioned better physically and emotionally after they participated in yoga classes.
Tai Chi
Tai chi practice emphasizes "chi" or the vital life force of energy Chinese tradition links to health. According to the practice, you experience physical or emotional illness when your personal chi, or energy flow, becomes blocked. Tai chi is a self-paced, slow exercise routine that is non-competitive and focuses on restoring your energy flow within your body.
The classes consist of gentle, flowing body movements that require you to focus on your breathing and the present moment. Symptoms of stress and anxiety include worrying and the inability to concentrate. Tai chi forces your to slow down and calm your thoughts. The low-impact movements don't distress your joints or muscles, allowing you to physically relax while you do the routine.
Cardio
Elevated stress levels and anxious feelings that persist over an extended period of time increase your risk of high blood pressure, depression and other related health conditions. Aerobic exercise, or cardio, helps strengthen your heart and may lower your blood pressure. Examples include brisk walking, running, aerobic classes, cycling and dance class. Cardio may help distract you and give you a mental break from your anxiety and stress.
Your brain contains endorphins, neurotransmitters that elevate your mood. Exercising releases endorphins and may contribute to immediate stress and anxiety relief.
Sports
Participating in sports or other activities that require concentration and repetition may help reduce your stress and anxiety levels. Any exercise that forces you to focus solely on your physical and mental involvement in it may distract and relax your mind. Swimming, tennis, basketball, soccer and ping pong are all examples of activities that force you to concentrate on your physical movements.
