30 Minutes to Stress Free Living
By Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS, ACE
Time is a precious commodity, especially when you're trying to balance your hours between work, family, hobbies, friends, the house and rest. Exercise is usually the first thing to go when you are in demand, but it's exercise that helps you deal with the physical and psychological demands of a hectic life.
Thirty minutes of regular exercise can stimulate your energy level, reduce stress, improve health and transform your body. As little as three 10-minute sessions a day will lead to increased stamina as well as a long list of benefits to a stressed out body.
Reduce Stress -- Where does your stress show up? Tugging at the muscles in the neck and back, throbbing migraine headaches, burning ulcers, locked jaw, excessive fatigue or some combination thereof? Physical activity is one of the best stress busters because it requires deep breathing, which both oxygenates your muscles and releases endorphins.
Exercise leaves you on a natural high, feeling relaxed and less anxious. Picture 5 minutes of jumping rope, 20 minutes pumping weights and 5 minutes on the heavy bag. That short bout of exercise would leave you so much more invigorated than 30 minutes on the couch.
There are plenty of stress reducing exercises to choose from that can be done in 30 minutes or less. After a day filled with frustration, a karate session may be just the prescription you need to get out your physical and emotional aggression.
After an exhausting day of meetings or traveling, yoga will stretch and strengthen your muscles, as well as relax your mind. An early morning bike ride can get your day started with a boost of energy, and a mid-afternoon walk can help realign your thoughts.
Recent studies have shown that when large muscle groups repeatedly contract and relax, the brain receives a signal to release specific neurotransmitters, which in turn make you feel relaxed and more alert. Physical activity rids your body of stress-causing adrenaline hormones. Adding some activity to your lifestyle has been shown to help you balance other areas of your life and can even contribute to helping you eat better and improve your immune system.
Reverse Aging -- Exercise has an anti-aging effect and has been said to be the true fountain of youth. It boosts aerobic capacity, muscle mass and hormone production. The increased delivery of oxygen and nutrients will improve the health of your skin. Besides helping you look and feel 20 years younger, exercise has been shown to result in a 30 percent reduction in chronic illness, helping to increase life span as well as letting you live in optimal health.
Other Amazing Effects -- 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week will reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, improve digestion, decrease insulin sensitivity, reduce the risk of deadly diseases like diabetes and atherosclerosis, increase immune system resistance, improve sex drive, sleep and mental alertness, reduce the chance of depression and improve confidence, just to name a few.
Begin going through your planner and schedule 30 minute exercise sessions a month in advance. Stick to your plan the same way you keep any other appointment. Thirty minute exercise videos are a convenient option that can offer lots of alternatives.
By far, exercise is the best thing you can do for your health. Thirty minutes won't carve a big chunk out of your day, but it will improve your ability to control stress and improve your life. Part of being stressed or depressed means pressing feelings down. If you stand tall, pull your shoulders back, take a deep breath and start striding out your front door, you will change your physiology and therefore your mood. You don’t need to become a fitness fanatic to reduce tension. All it takes is 30 minutes of exercise, most days of the week.
The bottom line is that stressors are never going to go away. It's how we react to them and manage them that makes a difference in our health. Without some level of stress, we wouldn’t be productive. If you are going to be under chronic high levels of stress, you had better take care of your body or it will begin to quickly deteriorate and add to your stress. A healthy body manages stress better... so get up and get moving!