"Break a Sweat to Break Your Stress"
Are you swamped at work? Do you always feel one step behind
trying to catch up on all the chores on your "to-do" list each
day? Do you toss and turn in bed at night thinking about all the
things you should have accomplished that day, but didn't? All of
us have experienced a hectic set of circumstances in our lives
at one point or another. Maybe you experience stress every day
of your life. This stress can lead to sickness, depression, and
make you feel overwhelmed. Therefore, how can you combat this
nagging daily stress? One answer is exercise.
Stress comes in both physical and mental forms. The severity of
stress placed upon your body depends on your job, family, and
life obligations. Exercise will benefit nearly everyone from a
mother of five to a single on-the-go professional. You can find
a form of exercise to suit your needs whether you have just ten
minutes of free time a day or can hit the gym regularly.
Exercise has the potential to be a highly effective stress
reducer. Following are common questions, excuses, and solutions
regarding exercise in our daily lives.
How does exercise affect the body? Won't it make me feel tired?
On the contrary, exercise has been shown to increase
"endorphins". Endorphins are the "feel good" chemicals that are
linked to an elevation in mood. This endorphin kick can be akin
to eating a chocolate bar. Chocolate has caffeine and hits the
pleasure center in our brain. Exercise is similar in that blood
pumps faster in our bodies increasing the oxygen supply to our
brain. This endorphin rush is why many exercisers become
addicted to exercise.
Exercise has long been an antidote to stress. Exercise takes
your mind away from the stresses of daily life while you run,
lift weights, or engage in any activity that raises your heart
rate. An added benefit to exercise is that it will help you
sleep better at night. For many people stress wreaks havoc on
their lives by causing insomnia. Make sure, however, that you
don't exercise too close to bed time. The rise in activity and
heart rate that exercise brings should be completed at least
three hours before bed time. Each person reacts differently to
exercise so test out different exercise times and see which time
works best for you.
How am I supposed to find time to exercise when my day is
already filled to the brim with chores, kids, work, etc.? Before
you brush off exercise time, take a closer examination of your
day. Do you have down time? Do you spend time watching
television? Many people watch television during the course of
the day. This television time could be exercise time instead.
Record your favorite TV shows and watch them later after you
have exercised. Time exists for exercise; it is just a matter of
making time and placing value on your exercise program and
overall health.
What type of exercise should I do to relieve stress? I don't
want to be a gym rat and purchase an expensive health club
membership. Good news. You don't need to sign an expensive gym
contract to get your exercise in for the day. You can exercise
from the comfort of your own living room or head outside and
enjoy the fresh air.
For example, break a sweat with exercise videos/DVDs. There are
a bevy of exercise videos/DVDs available for home use that range
for calming Yoga to boot camp kick boxing. Some videos/DVDs come
with extras such as free weights, aerobic steps, exercise balls,
and strengthening bands. It is like you have a personal mini-gym
all to yourself. You can create your own exercise video library
and rotate the different workouts to keep your exercise program
varied and interesting.
Strap on your walking shoes and head outside to enjoy the sights
of your neighborhood. Walking is a low impact form of exercise.
It is fun to walk with your spouse, children, and friends. Many
neighborhoods have jumped on the walking bandwagon by starting
walking clubs. They meet twice a week in the morning for an hour
long walk. It is a great way to get to know your neighbors and
exercising with a partner will help you to keep on track. This
accountability is a great defense against skipping your workout.
Many people want to get away from the stress of others. They
want to walk and exercise by themselves. If this applies to you
then you can listen to a tape or CD on your walk. It is a great
way to catch up on books you have been meaning to read by listen
to the audio version. Or you can listen to soothing music.
Either way you can reduce stress from your daily life by placing
your focus on other things besides all the errands you need to
get done that day.
Reduce your stress with exercise. It is a natural way to
energize your body and calm your mind. Make exercise an integral
part of your daily living. You will be glad you did as you enjoy
each day, stress free.