Last Updated on October 24, 2020 by Jessica Adams
Every single type of exercise possesses any number of unique benefits to kill your stress. Whether you’re into running, dancing, spinning, or swimming, performing each of these exercises will automatically increase your heart rate. When your heart rate increases, your body releases hormones called endorphins. Perhaps you’ve heard of these hormones? They’re often referred to as “nature’s heroin”… In fact, that assessment isn’t wrong at all.
Endorphins are endogenous opioid neuropeptides and peptide hormones in humans. Their primary job is to help you deal with stress and reduce feelings of pain. They give you a sort of “pleasure effect” (like that of an opiate high) which is usually associated with endorphins. This ‘high’ is partly related to the increased dopamine production that occurs due to increased endorphin activity.
Kill Your Stress, Kill Your Addiction?
As you can imagine, exercising is especially beneficial to anyone recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. In fact, it’s not that uncommon for some addicts to become “addicted” to exercising during their recovery process. I mean, you could definitely get into worse stuff out there! But since endorphins are the body’s own natural opiates without the negative side effects, it’s all good!
There are tons of exercises for non-addicts everywhere as well, that target specific systems throughout your body to reduce your stress levels. People are desperate for healthy ways to reduce their climbing stress levels. Yet, again, everybody pretty much knows at least some of the incredible benefits of exercise.
So, go change into your best activewear or treat yourself to some new gear if it’s been a while. The newest collection of sustainable, high-performance Tencel jersey fabric activewear is out now, so check that out! Because I’m about to share with you three exercises with unique benefits to kill your stress, that you already know and love.
3 Exercises With Unique Benefits To Kill Your Stress
Channel Your Negative Energy w/Kick-Boxing
When we’re stressed out, our bodies become filled with negative energy. You can feel anxious, even cranky because of it. Your mind can easily get caught in a negative spiral, thinking of nothing else.
According to experts, engaging in kick-boxing and martial arts are a huge help to people in their battle against emotional, physical, and mental stress. The deep breathing exercises, similar to the techniques of yoga, produce a calming effect on a martial artist.
Certain exercises are great for expelling these energies and getting them out of your body. Kick-boxing and other material arts are great. You get to channel your negativity energy in a safe and fun way. Running is another great way to work off some bad vibes. Its repetitive actions, even the sound of your feet pounding the pavements (or the treadmill) can help to clear your mind.
Swim Your Way Through a Digital Detox
Swimming has the same repetitive motions as running, which is excellent for kicking out negative thoughts. But it has another significant advantage. In life, we’re always doing something.
We tend to use our phones during the inevitable waiting we’ll do on a given day; we listen to podcasts while sitting in traffic, we listen to music or watch TV at the gym, and even when we run, we almost always have our headphones in.
When you swim, you are forced to take a digital detox. You literally can’t do anything other than swim, while (mostly) submerged underwater. That type of silence (in water) can be a bit of a shock to the system and somewhat overwhelming.
While most people may be used to drowning out their thoughts w/music during a workout, being alone with just your thoughts, can take some getting used to. Over time though, many people begin to find it relaxing.
Cleanse Your Mind & Body of Stress With Yoga
When we’re stressed out, we tend to store tension in our bodies that can make us feel tight, even causing pain. Yoga postures, known as asanas, have been known to help lessen the physical discomfort that is caused by anxiety.
There are many ways in which exercise benefits panic disorder, including a reduction in pain and stress. Yoga not only helps in easing the physical body, but it can also help with anxious thoughts. Yoga also relieves stress through stretching.
If your stress is making it hard to get a good night’s sleep, you may find that a simple bedtime yoga routine can help enormously. Even 15 minutes before bed can help to relax your body and mind.
The main benefit of exercise when it comes to stress relief is how it affects your brain chemistry. Exercise releases endorphins and adrenaline. These give you a happy boost, regulating your mood, improving your confidence, and helping you to focus. So, no matter what exercise you do, just do something and I assure you, you’ll feel the benefit of exercise killing your stress!
Jessica Rose Adams
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