Are We Having Fun Yet Stress and Exercise

Saturday, 15 August 2009

Like taxes
stress is a part of everyone’s life. The “experts” tell us that some stress is good because without it there would be no motivation to do anything! However
if you are like me
serious stress and anxiety makes me feel bad physically – I am unable to eat. This can’t be good!

For most of us
stress is low-level most of the time. Our daily tasks and relationships give us a bit of stress but not major anxiety. The body’s response to low-level stressors is designed to motivate us to action with a slightly raised heart rate and increased mental clarity –similar to the response to caffeine.

In times where stress levels go higher
the responses are what many people call the “fight or flight” response. The body sends blood to the extremities to get ready for action! These responses are normal and good for you – except when the stress levels remain high for a long time. When the body perpetually stays in a stressed state
the systems begin to break down. Think of it like a car engine where the throttle is stuck and the engine is constantly “revved up”. Not only will it consume A LOT of gasoline
but the mechanical parts will wear out faster.

So what to do to protect ourselves from this? RELAX of course….and EXERCISE. Exercise helps us relax both physiologically and
if it’s enjoyable
provides a mental escape from the stressor. The physiological effects of exercise include release of morphine-like chemicals (which include beta-endorphins) that give us a sense of well being. Have you ever heard the term Runner’s High? This is caused by the release of “endorphins” into the blood. Since these chemicals stay in the blood for several hours after stopping the activity
the “feel good” feeling remains for a while.

OK
so we know why exercise can help with anxiety and stress. But what are some of the ways regular exercise keeps us healthy in normal
low-level stress
times?

Here’s some from the top of my head:

Using a daily dose of natural “feel good” chemicals is better than drugs or alcohol!!
Looking fit
healthy and strong (It’s ok to admit that looking good makes you feel good!)
Feeling good from accomplishment and improvement.
Escaping from the daily grind for an hour – change of scene.
Keeping the body systems prepared to handle high-level stress.

The key to lowering stress with exercise is that you ENJOY the exercise that you choose to do. If you hate going to the gym
it’s not going to lower your stress – in fact it probably will add some! Also
studies are showing over and over that even low intensity exercise helps anxiety
so any activity you enjoy is good. For me
when I am under stress
nothing works better than a good sweaty dance session. The music
movement and high heart rate just melt away my troubles. Some of my clients even tell me that the sense of achievement from competitive sports makes them feel less stressed!

The bottom line? To decrease the effects stress on your body
pick a fitness or sports activity you enjoy
do it regularly and HAVE FUN.

Resources:

“Holistic Health News
Remedies for Anxiety” http://www.holistic-online.com/remedies/anxiety/anx_exercise.htm

“Managing Stress with Regular Exercise”
http://www.dukemednews.org/news/article.php?id=8484

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