Exercise to De-Stress

The holiday season can be extra busy and stressful with all the extracurricular activities, work parties, and shopping.  Short-term stress helps us be prepared for a potential threat, but long-term stress can have a negative effect mentally, physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually.  Exercise is one healthy habit to help you de-stress during the holidays.  Exercise not only has many physiological positive effects on the body, but it is therapeutic in terms of releasing stress and relaxing the mind.  Performing exercise on a daily basis can help to control the stressors one encounters.  When an individual performs aerobic exercise the stress hormones (e.g., epinephrine and norepinephrine) are utilized effectively which initiates a calming response at the completion of exercise (Seaward, 2009).  The short-term neural and hormonal effects last approximately 36 hours (Seaward, 2009, p. 515). 

It may be hard to maintain your normal workout routine during this busy time, but exercise can include shopping trips to the mall or a coffee walk with a friend.  You can accomplish holiday errands or catch up with friends without feeling guilty about missing a workout.  I purposefully park further away when shopping and have been surprised to discover I walked over 10,000 steps!  Don’t let exercise stress you out – it should help you de-stress!  A 20-minute workout is better than no workout and it allows your brain to relax and forget about your “to do” list.  I find it helps me realize I can let a few things go on my list!  Take time to enjoy the season.

 

 

References:

Seaward, B. (2009). Physical exercise and activity. (6^th ed.). Managing

     stress: principles for strategies for health and well-being (pp. 511-527).

     Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers