Are you running around Miami, Florida stressed to the max and so busy you don’t have time to workout? That’s exactly the time you need to workout, when there is no time. No matter where you live, if you’re under stress, that’s when it’s time to start working out. Not only is exercise good for your health, exercising can be a stress reliever. It burns off the hormones of stress, like cortisol. Stress exacerbates health conditions and creates ones where none exist. It boosts energy and can help prevent minor injuries that can occur from doing everyday tasks.
It boosts your happy hormones.
You’ve probably heard of a runner’s high, well that’s the way all types of exercise affect the body. It helps boost the production of the feel-good hormones called endorphins. You don’t have to go running to experience it. It’s part of the body’s chemistry to deal with pain or stress. These neurotransmitters interact with the opiate receptors in the brain and act very much like opiate drugs, except for the potential for addiction. There are 20 different types of endorphins found in the brain and throughout the body.
Exercise can function like meditation.
Meditation helps you escape the day and rest your brain, basically thinking of nothing, just being in the moment. Have you ever noticed how your thoughts seem to disappear when you’re running and you’re just hearing the sound of your feet on the pavement or the wind in your ear? Or how your focus shifts from the day’s problems to each individual muscle when you’re doing power lifts? That laser sharp focus on the specific activity, sights and sounds is like meditation in motion.
Stress can cause side effects like anxiety and depression.
Working out not only boosts your mood and self-confidence right after you do it, it can help make long term changes in your mood. Studies show that when exercise was a complementary therapy, depressed and anxious subjects improved more and more rapidly. It helps improve sleep, which is another way to help boost your mood and reduce your stress.
- Don’t add to your stress, ease into exercise and don’t push yourself to the point of injury. Make sure you check with your health care professional before you start any workout program.
- Combine working out with having fun. Get a workout partner and make it social. Studies show that people with a healthy social life also live longer. One thing is certain, a workout buddy holds you accountable for your exercise program.
- If you’re out of shape and can’t do a regular workout, start slowly. Walk before you run. Walking more each day can build your endurance and get your body ready for a great workout. It also burns off hormones of stress.
- Exercise can strengthen your muscles, build stronger bones, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, help you lose weight and improve your self-image, too. Those changes can relieve a lot of stress.
For more information, contact us today at Kirra Collins Fitness