Stress & Exercise

Feeling Stressed and Anxious? Get moving* 

If we want to keep our bodies fit, we should move at least 150 minutes a week at a moderate pace or move for 75 minutes a week at an energetic pace, or a combination of the two.

Not only does exercise keep your body in shape, it can also act as a stress reliever (you’ve heard about “endorphins,” right?). Exercise helps with the release of endorphins, our feel-good neurotransmitters. Exercise can also help with forgetting about our worries and fears, while we concentrate on the physical tasks at hand, making us feel more relaxed and energetic. And, exercise can help you get a better night’s sleep, so you wake up rested.

It doesn’t matter what form of exercise you choose, it’s just important that you get moving. Here are some ideas:

• Choose a form of exercise you love: walk briskly; go on a walk/run; dust off your bicycle and go for a ride; play tennis with a friend; take a dance class; take the stairs instead of the elevator; putter around in the yard; go for a swim; lift some weights
• Put workout time on your calendar and think of it as a very important meeting that you cannot skip
• If you cannot do a 30-minute walk, can you do three 10-minute walks?
• Find a friend to exercise with you. This way you will have to show up at the gym or the bike path – no excuses

Send me an email at [email protected] and let me know about your favorite exercise that helps with stress relief.

*Please consult your doctor, if you haven’t exercised in a long time, or before you start a new routine.