Who hasn’t been feeling anxious lately? I know that I have, along with everyone else because of stresses of what’s going on in our world. But the good news is, studies show, even day to day stresses can be eliminated through physical activity.
Here’s the fitness scoop of how to rid yourself of stress and anxiety now and into the future.
Rather than vegging out in front of the TV or staring off into space, throw on those sneakers and walk out the door! That’s the first step to feeling better and the rest will come naturally as you start to feel better. We’ve already learned we can prevent depression with exercise.
A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found not only did participants score lower on anxiety tests right after working out, but they also were able to stay calm thirty minutes later.
When we put our bodies through any type of physical activity, we boost the blood flow to the parts of the brain that keep us feeling calm and enables us to think more clearly. Basically, moving our bodies helps our brains in a natural way, and this is something essential to our mental health.
What’s most important to remember here though, is this is not a quick, once in a while fix when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Running out the door to sprint the day of a high stress event is not the answer and actually could cause more harm than good.
Consistency is key to maintaining control over your stresses and anxiety. Choose anything that you enjoy and switch it up often like playing tennis, kickboxing, jogging or jumping road. It can be anything. So create a plan 3-4 days a week and schedule something active to reap the benefits of exercise and feel better today. And remember, you’ve got this, improve mental strength; these 6 ways.
