Hyland's Stress Challenge: Exercise for Stress Relief

Disclaimer: I am a Hyland’s Homeopathy Ambassador and receive various products and gift cards from Hyland’s and promotional partners at no cost to me. All views and opinions expressed on this blog post and corresponding social network mentions are my own and are not to be interpreted as medical advice.

You know that exercise is great for you and does your body good, but did you know that it’s great for relieving stress?   

I would say that most of us feel some type of side effect of stress whether its headaches, insomnia, moodiness, muscle tension etc.  Some of us suffer more than others of course, because not everyone has figured out how to manage or deal with their stress.  A lot of people are on medication to help them deal with anxiety and depression that comes along with being stressed or have to take some type of sleeping medication so they can get a decent night sleep.  How great would it be if you could eliminate most if not all of the effects brought on by stress naturally? 

What do you do to relieve your stress?  At the end of a stressful day the only thing most people want to do is sit on the couch and veg out with a bucket of ice cream or a bag of chocolate.  Anything more than that just seems like too much, but honestly the best thing you could do to help your body relieve some of the stress and clear your mind is to get moving. 

Exercising increases endorphins (your bodies feel good chemicals) and it decreases your cortisol (stress hormone).  Stress induces the fight or flight response from your body, which is great in an emergency situation when you need to react quickly, but when it’s constantly activated, it can really wear on your body which is what causes us to suffer from the side effects.   The endorphins help to relax you and make you happy which is the main reason exercise is great for stress.  Also it gets you doing something productive which will make you feel better.  When you exercise you will start feeling it on the inside and as a bonus you will start seeing it on the outside.  That may sound a little superficial but let’s be honest the better you look on the outside the better you feel on the inside.  It also helps build up your body’s immunity, which helps you ward off sickness and helps you keep your stress levels under control.  

You don’t have to jump right into a rigorous exercise routine; you can start off slow and go from there.  Find something that you really enjoy to do, something that will take your mind off all the days stress, or something that will help you work out some of your aggression. 

1. Taking a walk is a great place to start whether you enjoy being alone and just spending the time breathing in some fresh air and clearing your head, or if you prefer find a friend that wants to go with you.  Some people find exercising with a buddy helps them stay motivated and could add a little bit of social fun in to your routine.
2. Making time every day to do some yard work or play outside with your kids is a great activity as well.  It’s a great way to get your kids away from all the electronics and getting some exercise of their own. 
3. Find a sport you enjoy swimming, tennis, softball, etc.
4. Join an aerobics class.  Aerobics could help keep your mind stimulated while taking it away from the stress your under. 
5. Yoga is great too.  It is both moving and stationary poses combined with deep breathing.  It reduces anxiety and stress, and improves flexibility and balance. 

That is just a short list to get you started.  You have so many exercise options available.  You just have to find the one that is right for you.  Any and all types of exercise can act as a great stress reliever.  It is so worth the effort! So what are you waiting for go get moving!

Visit Hyland's Facebook Page to check out other method's of stress relief and participate in their stress relief challenge!

Disclaimer: I am a Hyland’s Homeopathy Ambassador and receive various products and gift cards from Hyland’s and promotional partners at no cost to me. All views and opinions expressed on this blog post and corresponding social network mentions are my own and are not to be interpreted as medical advice.