Financial worries, traffic, public transportation, studies or work, in short, in personal and professional relationships there can always be anxiety and stress. There are therapies that can help us reduce this, but today I am going to give you some tips on how to reduce stress with physical exercises.
Of course, you need to have healthy habits and good nutrition or peaceful sleep. These simple practices helped me a lot in my mental health and consequently in my body.
I have always tried to reduce my anxiety and stress with medications and therapies, and in some cases this is necessary. However, physical exercises are also effective and can help you reduce stress. As in my case, you don’t have to be a young athlete with flexibility, just simple movements.
How can you reduce stress with exercise?
Light movements are necessary, without overloading the body. High performance exercises are not appropriate because they can trigger additional stress. Not only do anxious and tense people benefit from moderate training. Even those who feel exhausted and tired consider soft training to be beneficial. In this case, only a small amount of tension is formed, which activates and vitalizes.
1. Smooth walks
Less than 10 minutes a day. This is the time it takes to start realizing what the benefits of physical activity are. The daily habit is important to not overload certain days of the week with exercises and serves as a stimulus to practice the activity daily.
Gentle walks in the open air help in physical and mental health. Exercises help to relieve body tension and relax muscles, in addition, they release endorphins in the brain, which makes the body less tense.
2. Crouch in the chair
The squat is a great workout for the legs, however, it is a different version in which a chair is used to reduce the level of demand. First, you must stand in front of the chair. Then bend your knees keeping your back straight. Slowly lower your hips on the chair. Finally, stop again to return to the starting position and repeat the exercise.
3. Ride a bike
Cycling is also an exercise that can be done outdoors or in gyms. In reality, it does not matter the location, as this is an extremely beneficial activity for the body and mind. Just like running, cycling also improves fitness and works all muscles simultaneously. In addition, it favors heart health and is very pleasurable.
Cycling works with balance and confidence, so it acts to control anxiety and stress. Practicing twice a week is enough to feel the benefits.
4. Have a lunch
According to scholars at the University of Saint Louis, a very quick or junk food meal should be replaced by a light and balanced lunch, rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and proteins. How to reduce stress from the table? Follow a healthy diet, rich in foods capable of neutralizing the action of cortisol.
5. Breathe deeply
Breathing reduces tension and relieves stress: with regular breathing, the parasympathetic system is stimulated, useful for relaxation.6. Sleep well. Who doesn’t like to sleep? But getting enough sleep is something we should focus on, because it is easy to let homework, talking to friends or too much television disturb your sleep, this can damage our mental health.
Today sleeping a restful sleep helps me in my quality of life. Those were my tips that I use in my routine, I hope you enjoyed!