Is exercise really one of the best solutions to reducing stress?.... well YES!
Within our adult life, there are numerous things that we can find stressing us out, whether we're going through a tough break up, a back log of work to get finished, an upcoming test...these are all areas that we will ultimately be faced with during our lives.
When we are faced with challenges we then have a choice to make and the choices that we make can often influence the way that we feel. Sometimes, we might opt for comfort food to ease the stresses that we're faced with and granted...that can be a quick solution to making us feel better...the problem with this is that it's not a long-term solution and might in fact leave us with feelings of not only more stress but added to that, guilt.
This can for many, be the start of a negative, ongoing cycle.
So what about making the (harder) but healthier choices that can lead to a more positive, ongoing cycle? Better yet, let's find out the science behind why these healthier choices work so well!
As Alexander Pope stated, 'Strength of mind is exercise, not rest'.
When we look into the science behind this statement we will quickly find out that exercise helps to reduce our bodies stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. To add to this, exercise also helps to stimulate endorphins (natural painkillers). These endorphins are responsible for the 'runner's high' that we feel after a jog....the feeling's of happiness and relaxation that we get from not only having completed the task but from the task itself.
What else? Well mentally with exercise, we're going to gradually develop a more positive self image of ourselves due to a positive change in our shape which will further boost our mental functioning and help to reduce those stress levels even more.
A consistent effort to exercise and add these mental and physical elements to your routine will continue to allow your mind to relieve from stress and help to reduce the risk of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety in the long run. Something that as we all know now, the fast food order won't help with.
That said, life is all about a healthy balance and it's important to remember that we should treat ourselves now and then but try and let it be a treat well deserved and you're sure to feel a positive difference!
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