Stressed? Physical Activity can Help

One of the huge benefits of regular physical activity is the way it helps us handle stress and other emotional aspects of our lives. We all have things that get us worried or stressed –whether it’s family, work, school, our health, or anything else. Regular exercise can help.

Here’s what Dr. Stephen Aldana, professor of lifestyle medicine at BYU, had to say in his book The Culprit and the Cure:

“A review of 34 studies showed that sedentary individuals who started engaging in physical activity had a more subdued response to stressful situations; stressful events didn’t upset them as much” (pg 148).

He continued: “Regular physical activity can impact the mental and emotional aspects of life and improve your quality of life. Exercise is like a combination of psychotherapy, physical therapy, and stress management –all concentrated in one 30-minute session” (pg. 148).

I love the mental benefits that regular exercise gives me. On days that I don’t want to workout, but I force myself to, I feel so good after. Not just because my body feels better, but because mentally I feel like I accomplished something. I feel like I have more energy and that my mind is sharper.

If you’re stressed, anxious, or worried about something, try getting more physical activity. Create a habit of getting physical activity on most days of the week. It may help you cope with the situations you face everyday and help you feel a whole lot better.

Guess what? You don’t have to wait until tomorrow to start either. You can start today! Get up and get moving.

from The Fight for Fitness

Tags: activity, anxiety, exercise, health, mental, physical, stress

Comment by tzuzan on August 29, 2008 at 3:32am: What a great post! I agree with it completely and practice it daily. Being someone that has experienced much loss in the past year (death of a close one, one break up, loss of job, injuries (sport related and recurring injuries from previous accidents), increasing demand of caring for elderly parents... yes, this all happened in 1 year to me!) exercise has been a tremendous help in coping with the stress I've been under lately. My dragon boat racing has been the only thing has kept me sane. I'm sure it is the combination of actual paddling/racing and the mental training that is included in the sport that has helped me. You hate it in the beginning but afterwards, you do reap many benefits from exercising.

Comment by Lisa Newton on August 29, 2008 at 4:54am: This is the main reason I'm so much against a "exercise pill." Getting in shape isn't the only reason to exercise. In fact, often times, the mental and emotional benefits of exercise outweight the physical ones.

And I love your last line: Don't wait, start today.