Are we having fun yet stress and exercise

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AreWeHavingFunYet?StressandExercise

Liketaxes,stressisapartofBellyBalanceAustraliaeveryoneslife.Theexpertstellusthatsomestressisgoodbecause withoutittherewouldbenomotivationtodoanything!However,ifyouarelikeme,seriousstressandanxietymakes mefeelbadphysicallyIamunabletoeat.Thiscantbegood!

Formostofus,stressislow-levelmostofthetime.Ourdailytasksandrelationshipsgiveusabitofstressbutnotmajor anxiety.Thebodysresponsetolow-levelstressorsisdesignedtomotivateustoactionwithaslightlyraisedheartrate andincreasedmentalclaritysimilartotheresponsetocaffeine.

Intimeswherestresslevelsgohigher,theresponsesarewhatmanypeoplecallthefightorflightresponse.Thebody sendsbloodtotheextremitiestogetreadyforaction!Theseresponsesarenormalandgoodforyouexceptwhenthe stresslevelsremainhighforalongtime.Whenthebodyperpetuallystaysinastressedstate,thesystemsbegintobreak down.Thinkofitlikeacarenginewherethethrottleisstuckandtheengineisconstantlyrevvedup.Notonlywillit consumeALOTofgasoline,butthemechanicalpartswillwearoutfaster

Sowhattodotoprotectourselvesfromthis?RELAXofcourse.andEXERCISE.Exercisehelpsusrelaxboth physiologicallyand,ifitsenjoyable,providesamentalescapefromthestressor.Thephysiologicaleffectsofexercise includereleaseofmorphine-likechemicals(whichincludebeta-endorphins)thatgiveusasenseofwellbeing.Haveyou everheardthetermRunnersHigh?Thisiscausedbythereleaseofendorphinsintotheblood.Sincethesechemicalsstay inthebloodforseveralhoursafterstoppingtheactivity,thefeelgoodfeelingremainsforawhile.

OK,soweknowwhyexercisecanhelpwithanxietyandstress.Butwhataresomeofthewaysregularexercisekeepsus healthyinnormal,low-levelstress,times?

Heressomefromthetopofmyhead:

Usingadailydoseofnaturalfeelgoodchemicalsisbetterthandrugsoralcohol!!

Lookingfit,healthyandstrong(Itsoktoadmitthatlookinggoodmakesyoufeelgood!)

Feelinggoodfromaccomplishmentandimprovement.

Escapingfromthedailygrindforanhourchangeofscene.

Keepingthebodysystemspreparedtohandlehigh-levelstress.

ThekeytoloweringstresswithexerciseisthatyouENJOYtheexercisethatyouchoosetodo.Ifyouhategoingtothe gym,itsnotgoingtoloweryourstressinfactitprobablywilladdsome!Also,studiesareshowingoverandoverthat evenlowintensityexercisehelpsanxiety,soanyactivityyouenjoyisgood.Forme,whenIamunderstress,nothing worksbetterthanagoodsweatydancesession.Themusic,movementandhighheartratejustmeltawaymytroubles. Someofmyclientseventellmethatthesenseofachievementfromcompetitivesportsmakesthemfeellessstressed!

Thebottomline?Todecreasetheeffectsstressonyourbody,pickafitnessorsportsactivityyouenjoy,doitregularly andHAVEFUN.

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