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Need a Stress Buster? Try Exercise.

STRESS. Crying kids. The boss. Your spouse. The unbalanced checkbook. Rush hour. The not-quite-litter-trained puppy.

Who hasn’t got some stress in their life? In these harried times of too much to do with too little time to do it, everyday stresses can play a major role in our well being. Most of us encounter stressful situations once, twice or even multiple times a day – or just plain have stressful lives due to work, family, friends, finances or other causes.

Stress, unfortunately, is here to stay. But the good news is you can do something about it! While there are no simplistic answers or definitive ways to deal with stress since it comes from so many sources, many health professionals recommend exercise as a means of helping to relieve stress. Although most people know that exercise burns calories and builds muscle, exercise may be one of the most under-utilized means of reducing stress (and anxiety). Exactly how and why exercise is linked to psychological factors related to stress is still not entirely understood, but it does work!

It’s hard to understand how adding one more thing to your “to-do” list can actually relieve stress, but a little exercise can go a long way. Think about how much time you spend watching television eating a bag of chips or a bowl of ice cream when feeling stressed. If you are looking to lose or control your weight, this is exactly the opposite of what you need to be doing to deal with and relieve your stress.

Be assured that stress-reducing “exercise” does not always mean jogging two miles. It might be something as simple as taking regular stretch breaks from one’s computer job, to relax the shoulder, back and leg muscles. When at home, try some low-key “relaxation” exercises, such as meditation, simple yoga routines and breathing exercises. Gardening and dancing are excellent stress relievers as well. Of course, more strenuous aerobic exercises like brisk walking, jogging, cycling and structured exercise classes definitely can help reduce stress.

So the next time you want to blow up at your spouse for leaving clothes all over the floor or you stiffly sit at your computer seething at your boss’s unreasonable work request, why not try a little “exercise” – be it simple or more invigorating. Doing exercise on a regular basis may be just what the doctor ordered to relieve some of the stress and anxiety that come with twenty-first century day-to-day living.