You experience a certain level of stress on a daily basis. Sometimes, however, stress builds up to a point where you feel like you're going to burst. Although several stress-relief techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing, can help with stress, regular exercise also offers stress relief along with several other benefits. Exercise not only keeps you healthy and fit, it also clears your mind, burns off excess energy and helps you relax. Consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
Facts About Stress
Stress is your body's normal physical and mental response to people, situations, things or places that make you feel threatened or under attack. When you experience physical or psychological stress, your body's "fight-or-flight" response prepares you for action. Although most stressful situations are not life-threatening, your body instinctively reacts in this self-protective, survival mode as though it's a matter of life or death. Your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline and you feel hyper-alert, as though you're ready for an attack.
How Exercise Helps
Exercise alleviates stress in a number of physical and psychological ways. According to MayoClinic.com, regular exercise promotes the production of "feel-good" neurotransmitters and chemicals like endorphins that can help boost your mood. Exercise also provides a physical outlet for stress, helping to burn up excess amounts of stress hormones such as adrenaline. If you're cooped up in an office all day, exercising outdoors can give you a breath of fresh air and a change of perspective. Exercise can be a social activity as well if you choose to exercise with a partner or on a team.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise alleviates stress by burning off excess energy and relieving physical tension. It also helps increase your level of cardiovascular fitness. When you're physically fit, your body is better equipped to manage stress. However, there's no "right" exercise for stress relief. Swimming, running, dancing, kick-boxing and aerobics all provide stress-relieving benefits. The most important point to consider when choosing an exercise is to pick something you enjoy. If you're new to aerobic exercise, you should start with something easy and slowly increase the level of difficulty over time. For example, it's not wise to immediately aim to run a marathon, but you could start by going for a walk every day after dinner. Over time, you can increase your walk to a light jog until you feel comfortable enough to run.
Mind-Body Exercise
Mind-body exercises such as yoga and tai chi are also beneficial for stress relief, according to Help Guide. Yoga combines deep breathing and relaxation techniques with stretches and yoga poses to help alleviate tension, reduce stress and increase flexibility. Tai chi also helps by coordinating your breath with a flowing series of physical movements designed to increase your range of motion, flexibility and strength. Both yoga and tai chi use principles of mindfulness, which can help keep you grounded during times of stress. Yoga and tai chi are generally safe for people of all ages and fitness levels.
