Stress has a big impact on our bodies; it can take us from feeling great to breakouts on the face, feeling low, and being anxious or worried all the time, and if it carries on to chronic stress, the impact becomes an increased risk of strokes and heart issues.
Stress also means that we are more likely to have a short temper and take it out on those around us.
So here are a couple of things that you can do to beat those stress levels down.
Rowing machine
Grab a day pass and head to your local Fitness 19; find a rowing machine and get to it. They are adjustable, so you don’t need to pull more than you are comfortable with. Rowing – like jogging and running, is incredible for letting our brains switch off and our bodies take over. The repetitive movement works wonders for giving our brain a brain from thinking.
Dancing
Dance classes or dancing around the kitsch – it doesn’t matter which, it is always fun. Dance classes can be more useful for those who are social, but if you aren’t a social butterfly, there are plenty of great options on YouTube.
Or, put on your favorite songs and move your body around the kitchen or the living room until you feel like you can move another muscle. Dancing helps release the tension we are holding in our bodies, and the stress reduces too.
For those who are more adventurous, or like to be challenged, find a friend willing to be your partner in something like salsa, swing, or ballroom. Learning new steps is great for our cognitive ability too.
Walking
Never underestimate the incredible benefits of walking! Walking often can help to reduce high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cholesterol. People who walk regularly – just for fun, report that walking is one of the ways that they help with their mental health and mental clarity, and take an active role in their well-being.
When we walk, we use a lot of our major muscles, taking deeper breaths, which culminates in a quieting of the nervous system.
Not to mention that being surrounded by nature is naturally relaxing, it is recommended that 5-6 30-minute walks a week are the best options for stress management.
Yoga
If the idea of sweating it out at the gym or heading out for a walk just doesn’t do it for you, then consider yoga. Yoga helps to lose tight muscles and reduce tension, and you trigger the body’s natural relaxation response with conscious breathing in action.
Yoga promotes people to only focus on what they are doing at that moment, so it helps us build the tools that can stop our minds from racing and relieve stress.
If you aren’t comfortable heading to a yoga studio, there are many options for yoga classes online.
While stress management might want to be top-of-mind, there are many other reasons that you should be working out: Types of Workouts to Improve Overall Health and Fitness.