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Stress & Exercise: How do I make it Work for
Me?
Tanja Gardner
Copyright 2005 Tanja Gardner
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXERCISE & STRESS
Everyone knows that exercise reduces stress levels. Doesn’t it?
Actually, some of the research is a little conflicting. For a start, vigorous
exercise is actually stressor itself. On a physical level, exercise causes the
tiny muscle fibres to actually tear, and then grow back stronger as they heal.
Not exactly relaxing for the muscles in question! Quite apart from this, one
study showed anxiety levels increase in the first 5-10 minutes of exercise as
adrenaline – one of the key stress hormones – kicks in. So how can it be that
exercise reduces our stress and anxiety levels over time?
The quick answer is that while exercise is a short-term stressor, lack of
exercise is a long-term one. As we mentioned in last week’s stress newsletter,
our bodies are built for movement. When we’re sedentary day after day, all the
systems that have evolved to service a body-in-motion start to break down, which
causes waste-products to build up.
Our stress response originally allowed us to either fight a potential threat get
as far away from it as possible. These are both fairly physical activities. All
the biochemical changes – the stress hormones released – are based around this
response. They allow us to get into action – and quickly! It’s no surprise,
then, that unless we do what our bodies expect and get moving, those hormones
have nothing to do but hang around in our bloodstream, making us feel jumpy,
irritable and just plain stressed. As soon as we start moving though, the
hormones have done their job. Our body as a whole can return to normal, and
relaxation can ensue.
There’s more to the de-stressing effect, though, than just clearing hormones
from your bloodstream. First there’s the well-documented release of endorphins–
nature’s opiates – into your bloodstream. These act to both deaden pain and make
you feel wonderful. On top of this, regular exercise actually strengthens your
body – improving your sleep, boosting your circulatory and immune systems. Since
these are the very things that the stress response attacks, regular exercise
becomes a form of preventative maintenance.
Then there are psychological buffers that exercise offers against stress. As we
set ourselves exercise plans and goals, and stick to them, we start believing in
ourselves more. This can translate directly into the way we deal with the
stressors in our life. If we feel more in control of them, the stressors become
less powerful.
USING EXERCISE TO MANAGE STRESS
So what do the experts recommend when it comes to controlling stress with
exercise?
First and foremost, don’t overdo it. Too much exercise, or exercise sessions
without enough rest time between them, lead to overtraining, and overtraining is
as dangerous a stressor as anything the work world can throw at you. The current
ACSM guideline for a healthy lifestyle is 30-45 minutes, 3-5 times a week. If
you haven’t exercised for some time, check with your doctor first, and then
start small. Even 10 minutes three times a week is better than nothing. If you
want to do more than this, feel free, but if you start waking up tired, getting
injury prone, or losing ground instead of gaining it, you need to cut back, or
you’ll just increase your stress.
Secondly, make sure you enjoy what you do. Exercise performed because you have
to is not going to keep you motivated to do it, and the resentment you feel
won’t help with your stress levels. There’s a wealth of exercise options – from
walking, swimming and cycling, through to aerobics, martial arts and team
sports.
In fact, you don’t actually need to ‘exercise’ to exercise. All you need to do
is get active – so if walking the dog, digging in your garden, or playing with
your kids appeals to you more, they’re just as valid. And if you need a little
help making the commitment, consider the services of a personal trainer.
Lastly, be aware that whatever is causing the stress, simple activity is not
going to magically deal with it. If you’re not sure where your stress is coming
from, you might benefit from one-to-one coaching with a stress management
expert. If you know the root cause, however, getting active will put you in a
far better frame of mind, body and spirit, to manage it yourself. And that,
Ladies and Gentlemen, is the true miracle of exercise.
Optimum Life's Tanja Gardner is a Stress Management Coach and Personal Trainer
whose articles on holistic health, relaxation and spirituality have appeared in
various media since 1999. Optimum Life is dedicated to providing fitness and
stress management services to help clients all over the world achieve their
optimum lives. For more information please visit check out http://optimumlife.co.nz,
or contact Tanja on tanja@optimumlife.co.nz.
This article is reprinted with permission from www.WritingCareer.com |
