Too many things in life are causing stress most especially to adults. Traffic, cold coffee, messy house, and even a noisy environment could ruin a person’s day. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to relieve stress such as exercising and working out. How does exercise reduce stress? Exercise boosts your endorphin, a natural chemical that our body releases to relieve stress and pain. So what are you waiting for? Choose some equipment and start working out!
Reduce Stress With Exercise
We all know that exercising poses many great benefits for our body. It helps in maintaining our health in great shape and it keeps us physically fit and strong at the same time. But did you know that regular exercise also promotes good mental health? Exercising regularly can significantly improve our mood, reduce stress, and help us achieve a great physique at the same time.
So how exactly does exercise reduce stress? Below are the reasons why you feel great after working out:
- It boosts your endorphin releaseOur body produces a chemical called endorphins to relieve us from stress and pain. Endorphin falls in the category of hormones commonly known as “happy hormones”. These hormones are composed of serotonin, endorphin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Happy hormones are responsible for promoting positive feelings such as love, happiness, and pleasure. Aerobic activities like running, swimming, and cycling typically encourage the release of endorphins, this is the reason why you feel great after an aerobic exercise despite being tired.
- Exercising reduces the awful effects of stressWhen a person is stressed, a lot of things could go wrong. Mainly because his or her mood and emotions are greatly affected as well. It’s a great thing that regular exercise can reduce stress efficiently. Working out enables you to release the tension in your body while improving your cardiovascular and immune systems at the same time. If these systems in your body are working properly, it will be easier for you to fight stress.
- It’s some sort of meditationMeditating is a way for you to distress and temporarily forget the unpleasant events that bother you. Exercise can help you achieve that somehow. Notice how competitive you get as you work out? Your diverted focus covers the stressful thoughts in your head and allows you to exercise in peace. Regular exercise may be tiresome for your body, but it’s definitely a great way to relax your mind.
- Your mood will greatly improveAs humans, it’s normal to have mood swings from time to time. That is how we normally cope with stress and pressure in our everyday lives. Exercising regularly lets reduces not only your stress levels but your mood swings as well. Aside from this, it enables you to sleep properly and soundly. Sleep is an important component to keep your mood swings at bay.
Physical benefits
While the effects of regular exercise on our mental health are undoubtedly achievable, exercising poses other benefits that you will surely enjoy as well. It helps you achieve muscles to stay strong and fit. The other benefits of exercising include the following:
- Weight management. Almost all kinds of exercise, specifically aerobic activities, can help you achieve that healthy weight that you’ve been aiming for. Just remember that exercise must be accompanied by healthy diet plans for you to stay healthy despite losing or gaining weight.
- Protects you from heart disease. Working out will improve the health of your heart and lungs. That is why it’s safe to say that exercising protects you from heart diseases as well as lung problems.
- Manages blood sugar and insulin levels. Your blood sugar will reduce to healthy levels if you exercise regularly. Additionally, your insulin levels will also work better to save you from type 2 diabetes.
- Strengthens your muscle and bones.
Weightlifting exercise promotes strong bones and muscles. This is essential in our development because our bones tend to decline as we age, if you wish to have strong bones during your senior years, start exercising now! - Reduces the risk of falls and bad injuries. Your posture and stance are also very important. Having the right posture allows you to walk and run with a lesser risk of falls. Plus, it’s good for your appearance too.
- Boosts your sexual health. Many men are experiencing erectile dysfunction, this is the inability to get an erection during sexual intercourse. Luckily, exercise can improve their sexual functions without the need for harmful products. As for the ladies, working out increases their sexual arousal for a better experience in bed.
Psychological benefits
- Helps you quit unhealthy habits. It’s hard to let go of habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption on your own. But with the help of physical activities, you will be able to quit these habits easier. Why? Because as you exercise, you realize the things that you want to achieve for a healthier mind and body, and in order to attain those, you’ll have to let go of your harmful practices.
- Improves your self-esteem and confidence. As the results of your workouts start to show up (abs, lean muscles, toned legs) you will start to feel more confident about yourself. And we all know that confidence leads to great opportunities!
- Improves your thinking and judgment skills. People who exercise are more attentive in general. They tend to think profoundly and better than those who don’t. What causes this? Exercise activates the proteins and chemicals in our body that improves our brain’s functions.
