What exercise is best for stress relief?

Everyone gets stressed out. It’s a normal part of life – but that doesn’t mean you should just deal with it! There are many techniques, activities, and therapies that can help relieve stress, but exercise just might be the most beneficial way to naturally reduce stress.

Why? Physical activity reduces cortisol levels (your body’s stress hormone). Getting active and breaking a sweat causes your body to produce endorphins, which help your body and mind relax. You can expect better sleep, a clear mind, and an improved mood thanks to a stress-relieving workout session.

While any exercise will naturally reduce stress, we want to share with you seven exercise activities that specifically act to connect mind and body – promoting an instant feeling of calmness and wellbeing. These physical activities provide a good workout for your body while also being relaxing and therapeutic.

Try out one of these stress-relieving exercises the next time you need an instant pick-me-up:

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.

Try out this 15-minute stress relief yoga sequence for beginners:

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese noncompetitive martial art. It’s popular due to its health benefits and known to be one of the most effective exercises for both mind and body. Like yoga, there are many different styles and forms of Tai Chi. This exercise links flowing physical movements with breathing. According to Tai Chi for Health Institute, studies have shown that Tai Chi improves muscular strength, flexibility, immunity, and can help relieve pain – all while achieving a sense of peace and serenity.

Check out this quick introductory to Tai Chi for stress reduction:

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.

Try this quick, stress-relieving Pilates routine before you go to work:

Gardening

Get your hands dirty! Gardening isn’t just a hobby – it’s a workout. In fact, according to MindBodyGreen.com, gardening for about 30-45 minutes a day can burn anywhere from 150 to 300 calories. A 2011 Netherlands study shows that gardening leads to a positive mood and promotes relief from acute stress. It was also said to combat stress better than other relaxing leisure activities.

Since gardening doesn’t seem like a “workout”, you might forget to warm-up before you start. Be sure to do these light stretches before you dig in:

Kickboxing

This workout burns calories like crazy and helps maintain a high metabolism. Kickboxing is a blend of martial arts and boxing, and can be practiced for general fitness, self-defense, or sport. It reduces stress by teaching proper breathing techniques, building confidence, and giving you an instant energy boost.   

Smack down your stress with this kickboxing cardio workout:

Dancing

Dancing 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.

Dance your stress away with this samba-inspired Zumba workout:

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.

Check out this quick video to learn even more benefits of exercising outdoors:

Remember that any type of physical activity that increases your heart rate is sure to reduce stress! Try out some of these exercises when you are craving an instant rush of tranquility and calmness.

What’s your favorite stress-relieving exercise?

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If you're like most people, stress is a regular part of your day. Some statistics suggest that up to 77% of us feel the physical effects of stress on a regular basis, in the form of headaches, insomnia, anxiety, weight gain, muscle aches and pains, crankiness, and difficulty focusing. 

While completely getting rid of stress is not possible, learning how to deal with it in a healthy way can actually help alleviate some of the worst symptoms. Find out why exercise can be one of the most effective ways to help you manage your stress.

When you're stressed, what's the first thing you do? Have a drink? Pick a fight with your spouse? Flip off the driver in front of you? Sometimes, letting out your stress in those ways can give you some temporary relief, but there are consequences, not the least of which is an angry spouse or a teed-off driver.

When you get to that point, it's hard to think straight. But the best thing you can do is probably the last thing on your mind, which is to stop, take a deep breath, and think about what you really need at that moment. Keep in mind that each person is different. What you need in a specific moment may be different than what someone else needs or what you might need at a different time.

People tend to gravitate toward something that will provide instant gratification (and yelling at bad drivers can certainly feel good), but that isn't going to provide lasting relief from stress. So it's important to have a toolbox full of options.

What can help is doing something physical, something that gets your mind and body out of that fight-or-flight stress response and brings stress hormones under control so your body feels better.

Often during a workout, your body gets into its own rhythm, and you can let your mind go and work out problems, find solutions, or just daydream for a while. Try these simple solutions to help you de-stress:

• Participate in a mind/body practice such as meditation or calming yoga
• Take a slow bike ride
• Take a walk by yourself or with a friend
• Wash the car
• Work in the yard
• Try a mindless or rhythmic activity, like washing the dishes, raking leaves, or cleaning out drawers

Good old cardio or strength training workouts are ideal for getting your stress levels under control. Your heart rate is probably already elevated from stress, and a good workout will help use that to get rid of any extra tension and help you feel more relaxed. Some ideas to explore include:

• Cardiovascular exercise: There's nothing better than a cardio workout for getting you moving, burning calories, and letting you escape life for a little while. Try these cardio exercises you can do at home.
• Circuit training: These workouts move fast, keeping your mind engaged while your troubles fall into the background. Try this circuit training workout for beginners.
• Interval training: Going hard and then going easy is a great way to work hard without having to sustain a high level of intensity for an entire workout. Try these interval workouts to get started.
• Strength training: Sometimes you want to feel strong in your life and if you can't feel that in your current circumstances, the next best thing is feeling it in your body. Pick up some weights and show the world just how strong you are. Try these strength training workouts for ideas.

Getting some strength training and cardio into your day can help perk you up, but there are other ways to soothe yourself and give your mind time to relax and slow down. These mind-body activities can help you do just that.

• Laughing: Experts have long known the benefits of laughing. It helps your body in a multitude of ways. But, mostly, it just feels good. 
• Massage: Schedule a massage so you have something to look forward to. If that isn't an option, indulge at home with a hot bath or by lounging around and reading your favorite book or magazine.
• Meditation: Finding the time and patience to relax can be tough. But meditation doesn't have to be complicated. Simply stopping to breathe for a few minutes can be your own meditation.
• Mindfulness: Just paying attention to what you're doing can keep you in the present moment, making it one of the best ways to reduce stress.
• Yoga: This ancient practice is a great way to quiet your mind and relax your body. There are different ways to practice yoga, some vigorous and others relaxing.
• Pilates: While more vigorous than some types of yoga, the Pilates method forces you to concentrate on what your body is doing while helping you work on core strength, stability, and flexibility.

Do what you can to reduce your stress with a healthy dose of exercise. Enjoy the effects of that workout, then hydrate, refuel, and take care of yourself. Remember that exercise can be used as a go-to stress coping mechanism in the heat of the moment, but physical activity can also reduce regular daily stress.

• Ask for support. It helps to have a workout buddy to hold you accountable. Try to get a friend or family member to meet you once a week for a walk in the park or at a local fitness class. Knowing someone's waiting for you makes it easier to get going and stay motivated.
• Keep it simple. Sometimes the thought of changing into workout clothes can seem like climbing a mountain. Choose activities that require very little preparation, like walking, gardening, cleaning the house, or gentle stretching.
• Make the transition easier. If you tend to stay more sedentary when you're stressed, going from sitting to something active can seem like a big jump. Give yourself five or 10 minutes to get your body moving a bit before exercise. Try light cleaning, some stretching, or simply walking around the house a bit.
• Give yourself extra time to warm up. If you're doing a high-intensity activity (like running or aerobics), give yourself more warm-up time than usual. If you usually start out jogging, start with a slow walk. Allow your body all the time it needs to get warm and allow your heart rate to climb gradually.
• Give yourself extra time to cool down. It's always a good idea to end your workout feeling good. Give yourself at least 10 minutes to wind down and then spend a few minutes stretching.
• Take baby steps. Thinking about doing 30 minutes of activity may feel overwhelming if you're busy. Decide that you'll just do a few minutes of something. Chances are it'll feel so good that you'll want to keep going.