When you’re feeling stressed out, exercising is probably the last thing on your mind. However, having a lifestyle which is active and participating in some sort of exercise regularly can actually help you to feel calmer and less stressed. Cardiovascular exercise has been proven to have a wide range of health benefits besides weight loss and increased fitness, and has been shown in studies to actually reduce the symptoms of depression. Because of this, taking part in regular exercise should be an important part of your lifestyle when it comes to dealing with your stress.
If you’ve ever been stressed out and went outside for a while to ‘walk it off’, you’ve probably found that this approach actually works. Exercise, no matter how gentle, can often be the best thing for stress and anxiety. Walking has been proven to have a number of huge physical and mental health benefits, so if you’re not used to exercising a lot or don’t want to join your local gym, there’s nothing to worry about as simply going for a walk could be enough to help you feel better and clear your head.
If you’ve had a stressful day or something is really getting to you, getting out for a walk can be the best, quick-acting antidepressant. This is especially true if it’s a nice day and you’re getting some sunshine as well, as Vitamin D is absolutely crucial for mental health. Simply heading for a walk up the road or setting off to your local park to wander around for a while can help to take your mind off whatever is stressing you out, allow you to clear your head and put things into perspective – all of which can help you to manage your stress and deal with your stressors in a calm, collected manner. This is because walking, which is a simple exercise that most of us can easily do, releases endorphins, which create feelings of increased happiness and euphoria. So, if you’re feeling like stress is taking over, hitting the pavements for ten minutes or taking your dog for a walk can be a quick solution.
Whilst exercise can create a great ‘quick fix’ for those who are feeling anxious and stressed out, sticking to a regular exercise routine can actually help to improve symptoms in the long run.
Doctors recommend that people who are suffering from chronic stress, depression or anxiety to make sure that they get plenty of time in the gym. But, don’t worry if you can’t or don’t want to join a gym or fitness center, as there are plenty of exercises which you can do from the comfort of your own home. For the best physical and mental results, you should mix a range of cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This could include walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, for example, along with exercises such as push-ups, squats, lunges, sit-ups, crunches, and stretches. Combining these two types of exercises will not only improve your mental health by releasing feel-good chemicals to your brain, you will also reap the benefits of a body which is stronger and healthier.
Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health
Exercising regularly has a range of benefits for your mental health. Not only does the actual act of participating in physical activity release endorphins to your brain which will make you feel happier, calmer and help you to clear your mind, it can also help in a range of other ways. Since exercising regularly can help to improve your physical appearance due to muscles which are stronger and more toned and perhaps weight loss, this can help to give your self-esteem a boost, resulting in increased levels of self-confidence which in turn can have an effect on your stress levels.
Along with that, exercise is important for keeping you in good physical health. Studies have shown that regular exercise can help to prevent against diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and even some cancers. Since poor physical health can be one of the biggest causes of feeling stressed or at the very least contribute to increasing anxiety levels in stressful situations, exercising regularly can help to reduce stress by giving us less to be stressed about. Regular exercise can also help with issues such as muscle or joint pain, which in turn can help you to feel better, stronger and healthier overall. In turn, you’ll feel more able to take on stressful situations and will be less likely to be worried about your own health or dealing with pain and discomfort.
If your lifestyle has been more on the sedentary side than that of the active recently, there’s nothing to worry about as gentle exercise is often enough to help improve your stress levels. If you’re taking up exercising regularly for the first time or haven’t done much exercise for some time, it’s important to make sure that you start off slowly and gently in order to make sure that you give your body the time to get used to the increase in activity and gradually improve your strength. Jumping straight from the sofa to a strenuous exercise routine can actually do more damage than good.
So, don’t feel bad if you can only do a little bit of exercise at first – as you continue to practice, you will be able to increase the amount that you do.
Yoga for Stress
Yoga is one of the best exercises which you can do in order to combat feelings of stress and anxiety. Yoga is designed to not only improve fitness levels, strength and balance, but also clear the mind and help reduce stressful thoughts and feelings. Taking part in yoga not only allows you to improve your levels of fitness and strength to be healthier overall, but it can also strengthen your mind and help you to feel more at peace with yourself and everything around you. Yoga is also often associated with mindfulness meditation, which can be extremely useful for dealing with stress and anxiety. Another benefit of yoga is that it is often done socially – joining a yoga class means that not only will you be able to benefit from the physical and mental health benefits of taking part in yoga, but you will also be able to reap the social benefits of meeting new friends and getting support, something which can be incredibly useful for dealing with stress and anxiety.