Break a Sweat to Break Your Stress
By Louise Hathway
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. About the Author
Louise Hathway provides effective relaxation techniques to reduce stress in your life. Learn the 5 essential keys to stress reduction. To receive your free 5-part mini-course Click Here
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