Stress is an everyday occurrence for most people. Deadlines to meet, traffic rush, relationships, exams etc. While some stress factors can be avoided, some are out of our control and cannot be avoided. Unavoidable stress needs to be managed by avoiding situations that will cause stress as much as possible.
Exercise, besides helping you lose weight, is a great way to relief anxiety and stress. Many people may consider relaxing in front of the television, downing a bowl of ice-cream or alcohol consumption as stress relievers. But this does little to reduce the damaging effects of stress. To effectively combat stress, the body's natural relaxation response needs to be activated. You can do this by practising relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and rhythmic exercise. Exercise can decrease ‘stress hormones' like cortisol, and increase endorphins, your body's ‘feel-good’ chemicals, giving your mood a natural boost. To benefit from exercise, it needs to be regular. Exercise needs to be part of a daily routine. Rather than work during lunch hours, try taking a brisk walk or exercising at your desk. Exercise will reduce stress and reducing stress can increase your productivity.
I have listed a few activities you could incorporate into your day:
- Taking a brisk walk can help clear your mind. If you have something bothering you, you could call a friend to accompany you on your walks, that way you can exercise and talk.
- Rhythmic exercise like zumba would engage your mind and body.
- Yoga
- Working out on a punching bag.
- Weight lifting
- Engage in a sporting activity that interests you, e.g. swimming, tennis, football, basketball etc.
- Running on the treadmill. Listening to your favourite playlist as you run would help motivate and relax you.
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