Keep Stress
Exercise can help reduce the stress that ails you By Rhona Melsky
at Bay S
tress carries a lot of baggage. Frayed nerves. Upset stomach. Rapid heartbeat. Sleeplessness. The list goes on. Unless you’re a Buddhist monk in deep meditation, chances are that stress is a frequent, and sometimes unwelcome, companion in your life, no matter what your age. But adults age 55 and older may experience stress differently, according to Rhonda Zonoozi, exercise physiologist and certified health and wellness coach at the Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing. “The body’s natural defenses against stress tend to slow down with age,” Zonoozi says. Worries over retirement, dwindling finances, loss of independence, declining health — our own health or a loved one’s health — are common worries faced by seniors. Zonoozi primarily helps older adults and sees
the downside of too much stress. “As we age, our brains lose some of their ability to regulate hormone levels,” she says. “Older adults who feel stressed tend to produce larger amounts of stress hormones, and over time that can lead to health problems.” But don’t worry. Be happy because there are many ways to destress, including one of Zonoozi’s favorites: a thing called exercise. We’ve heard a million times that regular exercise is important for our overall health, but it’s also a proven way to keep the stress demons from your door. Research backs it up: A 2013 Princeton University study found that mice who exercised frequently were less anxious in stressful situations than their more sedentary neighbors. Other studies have shown that exercise can boost one’s mood by stimulating production of “feelgood” neurotransmitters such as dopamine and endorphins. “These neurotransmitters are like natural antidepressants,” Zonoozi says. “Antidepressant medications can take several weeks to kick in, but you can experience the relaxing effects of a 30-minute walk almost immediately.”
AN OUNCE OF MEDITATION IS WORTH A POUND OF STRESS RELIEF
S
8 LiveWell
ally Charalambous worked for years in New York City as a trauma nurse, a demanding job loaded with stress. She discovered that meditation dramatically helped ease not just job-related stress, but also the stress in her life. “It helped me mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually,” she says.
• The Sun Health Way
Retired and living in Arizona, Charalambous now teaches group meditation classes twice a month at Sun Health. “Everyone can learn to meditate. It’s about practicing mindfulness and learning to stay in the moment,” says Charalambous. Hundreds of research studies conducted over the past decade have shown that meditation is beneficial