Exercise for lowering your stress - Stress relieving workouts

Exercise for lowering your stress - Stress relieving workouts

The key to stress management is finding a way to relieve your stress so as to cope with any situation.  There are many proven strategies to help someone handle stress.  Fortunately exercise falls among the many tools that can help you to get a handle on the stress in your life.

 

 

When stress affects the brain, with its many nerve connections, the rest of the body feels the impact as well. Or, if your body feels better, so does your mind. Exercise and other physical activity produce endorphins — chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers — and also improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress.  The key to helping to reduce or manage stress is linked with learning coping skills and raising the endorphins in your brain to counteract these feelings. While exercise has been found to be a great outlet for stress, others turn to meditation, acupuncture, massage therapy, conventional therapy and music as other ways to manage stress. 

Science has also provided some evidence that physically active people have lower rates of anxiety and depression than sedentary people. Exercise may improve mental health by helping the brain cope better with stress. Although any form of exercise that allows you to escape the stress and relax will work, there are several forms that have been found to be especially helpful.  Perhaps one of these is right for you.

Strength Training

 

Strength training can have a profound impact on stress levels and mood. Just like any form of exercise, strength training provides feel good hormones, but lifting is one of our favorites because of the satisfaction you can get from really pushing yourself and seeing yourself get stronger.

Yoga

This popular mind-body practice brings together physical and mental disciplines to help you relax while increasing physical strength and flexibility. It combines poses with controlled breathing and mindfulness. According to Mayo Clinic, yoga can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and lower heart rate.

Anyone of any age or fitness level can practice and benefit from yoga. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be flexible or strong to hit the mat. Another perk of yoga? There are many different styles, forms, and intensities, so you’ll never get bored of this powerful mind-body workout.

Pilates

This fitness system is designed to strengthen muscles, improve posture and flexibility, and heighten mental awareness. Pilates is known to help relieve both stress and anxiety symptoms. It releases tension in the muscles while using breathing techniques to provide more oxygen to the brain – causing a feeling of calmness and wellbeing.

Dancing

Bancing is as fun as it is stress-relieving. Dancing provides an outlet for self-expression and creativity. It helps build confidence, and the ability to express yourself in a safe environment is great for a healthy mindset. Not to mention, dancing has amazing fitness benefits as well. Getting groovy can assist in weight loss, build muscle, improve heart health, and strengthen bones.

Outdoor Activity

Being active outdoors just might be the cure to all things stressful. Plenty of research has shown the health benefits of spending more time outdoors. Admiring nature calms your brain and melts stress away. Taking a bike ride, going for a run, or even taking a walk in a park will improve your mood and clear your mind.

Martial Arts  

For many people martial arts is the perfect way to get in shape, release energy and let off tension.  Learning the techniques is helpful in keeping your mind occupied and away from stressors. The many forms of martial arts allow you to learn self-discipline and self-defense while keeping you in shape. 

Kickboxing

For many people under stress, there is a strong feeling of tension and anger.  Taking up kickboxing is a great way to reduce your stress through a series of punching and kicking movements.  Improving your balance, burning calories, and becoming more flexible are among the many benefits of this form of exercise.

If you liked this post don't forget to follow me, subscribe and share this content.

If you have any queries or inputs kindly post it in the comments.

  

Can't sleep? These foods will help you to get some good sleep

Can't sleep? Try adjusting your food intake before you hit the sheets

“A lot of people know what not to eat — a heavy meal, spicy foods, caffeine,” says YouBeauty Sleep Expert, Shelby Freedman Harris, Psy.D. “But I have a lot of patients who snack all night or don’t eat at all before bed, both of which can disrupt sleep. They don’t know that a small snack is okay and which foods.

We already know which edibles to avoid before bedtime — namely, alcohol, coffee and sugary desserts (all the good stuff!). But it might surprise you to learn that there actually are some foods that you can eat for a better slumber. You just need to know what nutrients to look for in the grocery aisles.

Tryptophan is an amino acid which is associated with going into a food coma during Thanksgiving dinner. It converts to serotonin and melatonin, the brain’s natural relaxation chemicals. Aside from turkey, it’s actually found in a slew of other foods, too. “Things like bananas, nuts, seeds, honey and eggs typically have more tryptophan in them”.

Of course, if you have chronic insomnia, loading your plate with these sleep-inducing foods won’t cure it. But if you have a little trouble settling down at night, adjusting your diet is worth a shot. Kirkpatrick says her “perfect sleep menu” includes a small portion of 100 percent whole grain pasta with turkey meatballs for dinner and a handful of nuts for a light snack before bed.

 Here are a few sleep-promoting bedtime snacks you can nibble on an hour before you hit the hay:

1. Banana and nuts.

 Have half of a banana with a handful of your favorite nuts. “You’re getting tryptophan and carbs,” says Freedman. “It’s a great mix.”

2. Crackers and peanut butter.

 Get a few whole wheat crackers and spread on some all-natural peanut butter for a mix of complex carbs and protein with tryptophan.

3. A bowl of cereal.

 The milk contains tryptophan and the whole-grain cereal adds the complementary complex carbs. Just be sure to ditch the Captain Crunch — avoiding sugar helps prevent a sleep-disruptive blood sugar crash during the night.

4. Cheese stick.

 Munching on a low-fat cheese stick before bed supplies tryptophan. Plus, a lean protein can leave you calm and less frazzled while keeping your blood sugar on an even keel during the night, according to Kirkpatrick.

Try to have a dinner atleast 2 hours before getting to bed as getting to bed tummy full will disrupt your sleep.

 

If you liked this post don't forget to follow me, subscribe and share this content.

If you have any queries or inputs kindly post it in the comments.