Exercise and Stress: How to Control Your Stress with Exercise
Work Wellness

Exercise and Stress: How to Control Your Stress with Exercise

|Apr 23, 2021
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People who work out regularly know the cost of not working out and letting them dwell on life's negativity. Exercise indeed is one of the major mood lifters, and it is also a great source of releasing positive energy. Even though a minute of the plank is tough, an hour of workout will always bring you happiness.

The sense of accomplishment will bring peace, and not only the positive effect on your mood. Scientifically proven exercise has a great effect on our mood, and people who exercise regularly have 43% fewer depressive and sad episodes in their life. This could not be true for everyone, but it is backed by enough data that exercise elevates the mood.

And since one of the leading causes of stress in adults is work-related stress so to manage employee stress, exercise could be of great help. It doesn't mean you have to spend an hour at the gym during your working hours, but a little workout right at your desk will help you a lot. Let’s find out more about exercise and stress!

Cause and Effect of Stress

Stress is not a one-time thing, but constant exposure to it can damage the human brain and body. Stress not only has mental effects but in some cases, the effects extend to physical issues. People who are susceptible to stressful conditions develop several mild to severe anxiety symptoms, making their life considerably hard.

Cause and Effect of Stress

When it comes to causes of stress, stress could be because of anything, whether it be a personal problem, an inability to do well in social situations, work-related stress, negative work culture, or not having a flexible workspace where you can relax. Either way, stress needs to be dealt with efficiently before it leaves long-term effects on the body's human mind. And one of the best and quick stress relievers is exercise. Therefore, many research were conducted to find out the link between exercise and stress.

People are known to have stressful episodes and long term stress effects because of a work life that is not good for your health. If you have been familiar with a workplace that is negative then you might understand how stress can reduce your efficiency and help you lose happy moments of your life.

Effect of Exercise on Mood

Although there is no particular kind of exercise responsible for elevating your mood, having exercise in your daily routine is proven to reduce the frequency of depressing episodes a person has in their life. For most people, exercise acts as anti-depressants, and there are several scientific reasons for that.

Effect of Exercise on Mood

And exercises like strength training, cardio, cycling, yoga, Zumba, and other fitness-related routines will help you get happy feelings and push back the sad ones. Exercise is also responsible for diverting your mind from negative thoughts and giving you a sense of accomplishment. To sum up, the positive effect of exercise on moods, here are some:

  • Exercise increases your energy levels.
  • It tires your muscles, so you sleep well at night
  • It helps combat insomnia
  • It gives you confidence and improves your self-esteem
  • Helps you get rid of unhealthy habits
  • Improve food intake as you feel hungry
  • A little session at the gym helps you socialize

How Does Exercise Reduce Stress?

Several structured studies prove exercise helps in elevating the mood of a person and it is a positive relation between exercise and stress. Even a five-minute brisk walk or a tiny workout session can help our body release happy hormones. These happy hormones are known as endorphins or serotonin.

How Does Exercise Reduce Stress?

  • While exercise and endorphins are closely related, serotonin is responsible for improved eating and digestion in the human body. As serotonin concentration in our blood increases, we experience an elevation in our mood because of increased brain cells' communication.
  • On the other hand, endorphins, also known as the brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, give happiness and contentment. When you are involved in physical activity of any sort, the endorphin concentration in blood substantially increases, so you feel like a happy child.
  • Constant engagement with exercise and stress also improves your immunity, so you fall sick less often, thus feeling more productive. For people suffering from anemia, digestive issues, and constant fatigue, exercise can improve blood levels and increase oxygen flow to organs, so you feel healthy and stronger than before.
  • It also removes the fatigue and soreness from your muscles after you spend long hours at work. If you work for hours in front of the desktop, you need to practice some home office exercises and experience the difference yourself.
  • When you exercise, you see a difference in not only your mood but also your body. As the muscles start to get toned and you begin losing those extra pounds, you feel more healthy and confident. For people targeting a weight loss journey, a movement towards their goals could be a great mood lifter.
  • Moreover, exercise also increases your efficiency at work. As your brain's blood flow increases, the frontal cortex (the creative hub of the brain) has better ideas. So next time you get the chance, don't take those standing desk exercises for granted.

Benefits of Exercise Controlling Stress

There is no specific link between exercise and stress. There is no specific exercise that is identified to control stress, but the result from physical activity helps you fight depression and anxiety. If you are prone to work-related stress, then exercise might be a great help to you. Also, your brain needs to remain fresh so that you get productive and full of ideas at work.

Benefits of Exercise Controlling Stress

In a workplace when you are tired of taking tasks over tasks, a five minute exercise right at your desk can help you improve your mood and take off the stress of your body. All you need is to learn a few exercises that you can practice at work and get rid of all the stress.

Don't try to push yourself to do more than you can take, rather take breaks every hour or so to ensure the brain has its fuel recharged. Moreover, hybrid working is a new trend. And if you are someone who is restricted to a desk job and has to spend hours a day before the computer, then an adjustable standing desk will do wonders for you.

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