When it comes to
stress, exercise is a great answer.
Every person deals
with stress in a different way, but it also affects every person in a
different way. According to The
American Institute of Stress, there is not one definition that clearly defines
stress; this is because everybody deals with and sees stress differently.
However, scientist Hans Selye defined stress as “the non-specific
response of the body to any demand for change”.
To
some people stress is a negative, and to others stress can be a positive. Either
way a person sees stress, they need to have a plan to control it. According to
the Mayo
Clinic, stress can cause health problems if
it is not controlled or dealt with properly. The Mayo Clinic also describes the
stress response as an alarm clock, and it goes off when the body feels
“threatened”. Yet, when the alarm clock does not turn off when a person’s
surroundings turn back to normal, stress comes into play. These days, life does
not slow down for anybody and stress is at an all-time high.
With this said, how can someone use exercise to control stress?
The
American Council on Exercise states that there
are four main reasons why exercise helps with stress:
1.
Exercise helps you feel less anxious
2.
Exercise can relax you
3.
Exercise can help you feel better about
yourself
4.
Exercise can help you eat better
Each one of these reasons is very true to exercise and
stress. Exercise helps release endorphins that make a person feel happier and
consequently relieve stress. A person can engage in multiple activities to
bring stress levels down. A few activities include aerobic activities (walking,
jogging, or biking), yoga or other meditation-type activities, or recreational
sports. Being active helps people get in shape and better their lives, but also
helps to cope with stress. Feeling stressed can give you an excuse to get
moving!
| Don't let stress take over your life |
When I was growing up I used to get real stressed out with school work and other things going on. When I was at home I would always go outside and shoot the basketball, kick the soccer ball or go ride my bike. This always helped take my mind off of whatever was going on and allowed me to relax. When I came to college the way I dealt with stress was going to the rec center and working out. Exercise is an excellent way to slow the pace of your daily life even if it is only for an hour or two.
ReplyDeleteStress is like fire; it can be beneficial when controlled, but destructive if not. Exercise is a great release. Sometimes the only time people hit up the gym is after a long day at work, after a hard break up, or after a day of mid-terms.
ReplyDeleteA book that I just finished reading called "Thrive" by Brendon Brazier discusses the benefits of diet and exercise when the body is stressed. A suggested read!
Even though stress is necessary for chance to occur, it can be very exhausting to cope with difficult situations at work, school, and family. This is why we are always looking for different ways to deal with the stress in our lives. I used to just sleep it out or hang out with friends to try to forget about harsh situations, but since I started to lift and exercise again; I have had more energy and taken things one at a time. Now I choose to go to weight room and throw some weights arounds if I want to clear my mind and relax my body.
ReplyDelete