Can Exercise Reduce Your Stress Levels?
Have you have ever heard that exercise is a drug or an anti-depressant? Well there is no exaggeration there. Exercise releases certain chemical responses in the body that people who are addicted to drugs crave. Exercise is a much healthier alternative to substance abuse and dealing with stress.
It is something everyone should be doing on a daily basis. It gets you moving and not living a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise is crucial to the health of the lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system is closely related to your immune system. When you are moving and not allowing yourself to be sedentary you are giving your body a chance to flush out any toxins.
When toxic waste sits in the body it creates an inflammatory response, which can raise stress levels. An inflammatory response can also be linked to imbalance in the body. If you are healthy, the body can eliminate the toxins.
You want to make sure you are moving every single day. You can go hiking, walking, bike riding, lift weights, do calisthenic movements, whatever you love doing. Make sure you are doing some form of movement for at least 30 minutes.
Exercise has the ability to reduce your stress levels. It can release endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that make you feel good. I am addicted to this feeling. It is nothing like a post-workout euphoric feeling. It feels like a sense of accomplishment and like you’re on top of the world.
Physical activity that is intense on the body is also a stressor. When doing intense physical activity on a daily basis your body can actually respond better to the stress in your life. You are literally training your body to deal with stress in a more effective way.
Exercise is known to be excellent for heart health and being an aid in cardiovascular disease prevention. When one experiences stress this can affect heart health. A decline in heart health has been linked to depression. Depression would fall under the chronic stress umbrella.
Chronic stress stems from grief, bereavement, and being in a constant state of hopelessness, and sadness. Exercise can provide a great benefit to people who are in a state of being chronically stressed. Being out in nature and going for a hike are really great exercise options for people who experience chronic stress. This can be very grounding and settling.
You can seriously put your health at risk if you are not moving your body. Choosing a sedentary lifestyle is linked to death, type II diabetes, and obesity. I know stress can be crippling and debilitating. However this can hold you back from actually seeing some positive changes in your mood.
Workouts do not have to be complicated. In fact, I can tailor a workout to your specific needs. I provide holistic workouts that work with your body and not against it. They are designed to align you, allow you to burn fat, boost mood, and protect the integrity of your body on a systemic, and cellular level. Book a Discovery Call with me so we can go over your goals and get you started on a brand new fitness journey that will get rid of your stress, while making you look, and feel amazing!
Feeling amazing is another component of exercise. As mentioned, you release endorphins, which give you a sense of accomplishment and confidence. This is how you are always supposed to feel. The body wants to feel good. It does not want to be in a state of sadness and overwhelm. Even though we go through things in life and will feel sad, the body is not designed to feel this way all the time.
When you exercise the body also releases serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that releases a chemical that regulates stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep. For more on how getting an adequate amount of sleep improves your mood read this blog HERE. Serotonin brings the body into balance.
Exercising to release this hormone will do wonders not only for your mood, but for sleep patterns as well. Clinical and psychometric studies show that stress or mental health decline have been linked to insomnia. Serotonin can help with that. A supplement that can help keep your body in a state of calmness is Mood Balance Biotect. I am an affiliate so I do get paid a small commission when you purchase from this LINK. I am completely transparent and love to recommend this as a supplement as I know from experience how beneficial it is. One of the key ingredients is 5-hydroxytryptophan, a precursor to serotonin. You can take this supplement with your meal pre-workout and post-workout.
Always remember you cannot outwork a bad diet. You want to get your nutrition on track in conjunction with exercising everyday. Get the 3-Day Meal Plan HERE. Make sure you are moving every single day.
You do not need to work out for two hours unless you can’t get enough. All you need is 30-minutes and your body. If you are not used to using weights then start with bodyweight workouts. Grab my via email contact to get you started. If you love intense workouts then go for it.
Trade that sedentary lifestyle for an active lifestyle to improve heart health, protect your joints, getting rid of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders, lose weight, and improve sleep. Take whole, plant-based supplements in addition to your healthy diet to provide you with what your body may not be getting from foods.
Do you exercise everyday? What are your favorite movements? Let me know in the comments!