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.