In today’s faced paced world, stress has become almost an epidemic. You experience stress during long, crowded commutes to and from work, at work, dealing with kids, from the pressures of debt and a host of other events. After prolonged periods of seemingly endless pressure, you may even find yourself crying out, either internally or expressively, for some way to reduce stress in your life.

Physical Results of Stress

The body is often the one to cry out for stress relief. There are a host of illnesses and diseases which you become susceptible to when you are exposed to frequent, regular and prolonged periods of stress. Under these adverse pressures of life, people often turn to drinking, smoking, excessive eating and even drugs to find relief. However, these activities make you prone to heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and other compromises in your health and quality of life. Those under prolonged stress are 90% more likely to have a stroke and it is a big factor in the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A much better solution to stress is to participate in a regular exercise program. Exercising on a regular and even daily basis reduces such stress hormones as cortisol and adrenaline and boosts your physical health. In-depth studies have proven that regular exercise provides weight loss, increases the body’s oxygen levels, lowers blood pressure, improves cardiovascular health, bolsters immune levels and overall reduces the chance of acquiring disease.

How Exercise Improves Mental Health

Besides adversely affecting the body’s health, regular and prolonged stress causes mental pressures, problems and illnesses which also lower the quality of life. Regular exercise helps you to deal better mentally with the pressures of a stressful life by:

Improving Sleep – Stress and its side effects of anxiety and depression can often cause disrupted sessions of sleep. How many times have you gone to sleep worrying about something only to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about the issue and unable to get back to sleep? Sessions of regular exercise will relax your body and ease your mind so that you can sleep better.

Relaxing Mind and Body – A jog through the park or an energized game of basketball will not only relax the body and provide physical energy to tackle daily issues, but it will also calm the mind and help you forget about the day’s aggravations.

Reduce Chance of Burnout – Being under the pressures of stress for too long can cause extreme periods of burnout where the body and the mind become so tired that they cannot function, at least at the required performance level. However, if you practice a regular exercise regimen, you can more easily manage the high levels of stress that lead to burnout.

Mood Improvement – Aerobic exercises elevate the body’s level of endorphins which act as our natural mood enhancers and painkillers. A rigorous bout of tennis, cross-country skiing, or cycling session with have you basking in a “runner’s high” which will alleviate anxiety and depression and boost your self-esteem.

Clear Up Thinking – Stress impedes thinking because it constricts blood vessels in the brain resulting in a buildup of toxins and foggy, unclear thinking. Exercise aids the brain by increasing the amount of blood flow which flushes away toxins and delivers more oxygen and sugars, substances which the brain needs to function at peak levels.

Exercises that Reduce Stress The wonderful thing about exercise is that any kind that increases the heart rate, gets the blood flowing and causes deeper breathing is good for your health. Therefore, what exercises you participate in are totally up to your personal taste. If you prefer to exercise alone, you might enjoy a rhythmic exercise such as jogging, cycling, swimming laps, etc. Those that are more social in nature can get together with a group of friends and play golf, basketball, soccer and other social sports. The more introspective types may prefer joining a group that practices Pilates, tai chi, or yoga. Regardless of what exercise or sport you prefer to get involved in, the point is to practice it on a regular basis. Doing so will improve your health, clear your mind and ensure that you enjoy a quality of life that is free from debilitating stress.