Exercise to Reduce Stress

Cliff Davis is a firm believer in the power of exercise. Not only can it improve your physical health, but it can have a significant impact on your mental health as well. Stress management, in particular, is a great benefit to having a regular exercise routine.

Excessive stress is damaging in many ways. It causes the release of cortisol, which increases belly fat. It puts strain on several areas of the brain and body. Stress is a leading cause of a number of chronic diseases. Some stress is necessary of course, to help keep us safe. We must be able to recognize danger and respond appropriately. However, a lot of people live under enormous amounts of stress, which is unnecessary and unhealthy.

Common methods for reducing stress involve calming the mind. You might meditate or take a hot bath to relax. These tactics have their place and work to an extent. Even so, you cannot always think yourself calm. Stress is a physical reaction, located in the body. In order to reduce ongoing, long-term stress, you may need to take a more aggressive approach, a more concrete method. This is where exercise becomes useful.

Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. This additional blood brings with it higher levels of oxygen for the brain. The oxygen boosts the brain's resilience and resistance to stress. Consistency is the key. In order to experience these benefits, you must exercise regularly over time. If you become sedentary, you will lose the brain boost provided from exercise. Exercise creates a sort of buffer between you and stress. It does not eliminate stress entirely, as that would not be healthy either. It simply allows you some time and distance from the stress.

Exercise is well-known to have numerous benefits. Stress management is just one of the primary advantages of having a regular exercise regimen. If stress has become an overwhelming factor in your life, consider exercising to help decrease the problem.