Depending on your preferred type of movement, you could begin feeling the effects immediately. Don’t wait. Read below to learn about the best exercises for managing stress.
Why Exercise Matters
When managing stress, exercise matters. Physical movement causes blood to pump harder through the body, improving your cardiovascular system and strengthening the lungs. As you work, you breathe deeper, taking in more oxygen to your cells. Exercise releases muscle tension and clears brain fog. Certain activities require you to focus on the movement or your body’s position, improving cognitive ability.
Stress can raise your blood pressure and give you digestive issues. When you exercise and work your heart, your blood pressure lowers after the workout. Physical movement also stimulates the bowels, keeping you regular.
If you can, try to set your alarm 15 to 30 minutes earlier to tackle a workout first thing in the morning before the demands of the day. Even if you only fit in a quick HIIT workout at that time, the effects will stay with you all day.
Seven Best Exercises for Managing Stress
Before starting a new exercise routine, check in with your doctor. Once you are cleared, choose a specific activity and schedule the time. For example, maybe you would like to go for a 20-minute walk at 5 A.M. Perhaps you would have more energy if you planned a weight training session after work three days a week.
Mix the activities up to keep your body guessing. Managing stress is a lifelong journey, and variety will keep you motivated and looking forward to the next workout.
Walking
Brisk walking is one of the easiest ways to get started with an exercise routine. Start slowly and walk for a short period. Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes per day. Walking is an activity you can do in short bursts, such as during your coffee break or after dinner for an evening stroll. You can pray and use this time to talk to God about other things on your mind.
You can also use walking as a quality time activity to enjoy with your family. If you have children, they can ride their bikes or scooters while you walk. Make it a game by sprinting in short 10-second bursts, and then resume brisk walking. These intervals are great for strengthening your heart and lungs and lifting your mood.
Yoga or Stretching
Were you aware that you hold most of your stress in your muscles? Muscle tension can leave you feeling sore, stiff, and achy. Anxiety can result in headaches and unexplained body aches. Daily yoga or stretching routines can release stress and improve flexibility. You may feel that you do not have time to pause and stretch for five minutes, but this activity gives your mind and body a break from stress. You cannot afford not to take five to ten minutes out of your day to release tension from the body.
You can find beginners’ videos online or research local gyms or yoga studios in your area. Many local community centers offer beginner classes for people of all ages. As you relax into a pose, take this time to focus on your breath and silently talk to God. You may quickly find that you look forward to your morning and nightly stretching routines.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT workouts are famous for their short but effective routines. With this type of exercise, you concentrate on working at a faster pace for a short period (anywhere from 30 seconds to one minute) and then drop back down to a slower pace or active rest. These short bursts are still enough to improve cardio endurance and fight stress, anxiety, and depression.
Before adding HIIT workouts to your regular exercise routine a few days a week, check with your doctor. Some people, especially older people, may not be able to perform HIIT without getting dizzy or experiencing chest pains. Otherwise, HIIT is an excellent exercise for managing stress.
Strength Training
Strength training can be in the form of weightlifting (with dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells), resistance bands (with varying resistance), and bodyweight exercises. Adding resistance to your training routine builds physical and mental strength as you memorize and engage in the activity patterns.
Counting reps and increasing resistance as you become stronger improves your cognitive ability and boosts your self-confidence and self-esteem. Added resistance reshapes the body, leaning it out and producing curves where you want them. Weightlifting sessions give you a break from daily stressors by keeping you focused on the activity.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is the practice of flowing and controlled movements used for managing stress and improving coordination. This gentle exercise, once known for self-defense, improves balance and flexibility. It takes focus to learn the moves and stay in the present.
The more stress we feel, the more tension builds in the muscles and jaw. This can make you sore and achy. You may not realize you carry so much stress in your body until you begin Tai Chi practice. You may find local groups online that meet in person at community centers or outdoor parks.
Kickboxing
Sometimes, a good sweat session is all you need to clear your head to solve problems. Kickboxing temporarily raises your heart rate and forces your lungs to work harder. Your heart and lungs get stronger as your body recovers. But you do not receive just a physical boost, but a cognitive one as you memorize the complex movements. To execute the moves, you must concentrate and stay in the present.
You may want to take kickboxing classes in person until you learn the basic moves. Joining a class with your friends can make exercising to manage stress more fun. It gives you a much-needed break while socializing with others. However, there are also kickboxing programs online from beginner to advanced levels if you would rather start slowly and learn the moves in the privacy of your home until you feel more confident.
Dancing
Dancing is a fantastic way to relieve stress. Just like with other cardio activities, dancing causes the brain to release endorphins, boosting your confidence and making it easier to manage stress. Dancing is also an activity that most people can do to their ability. It does not matter if you know the steps to a particular dance or not; move your body and make up your own.
If you need ideas about dance workouts, you can find thousands of videos online or check with your local gym or community center. Many facilities now offer beginner dance workout classes with choreography that is easy to learn, improves your agility and cardio levels, and burns excess calories.
Choose one (or more) of these stress-busting activities to try today. Give yourself grace as you learn a new activity or if you are getting back into exercise after a long period away. However, if you stick with it, you will be surprised at how quickly your body will adapt. Aim to work out three to five days a week.
When You Need Help Managing Stress
Sometimes making a lifestyle change like beginning an exercise regimen is not enough when it comes to managing stress. Often, we need to make other changes, remove or avoid specific stressors, and learn techniques to negate the adverse effects.
If you have trouble managing stress, contact our office today. Our staff would love to connect you with a Christian counselor. Your counselor will specialize in science-backed methods and faith-based principles to help you ease stress and fight against the physical and emotional effects.
