Picture this for a moment…
It’s five o’clock on Saturday evening, you are on your way from your high school’s alumni homecoming. There is so much traffic in town, you have to pick up your children from the children’s park in less than an hour. The young lady, Nana, whom you employed last month as a nanny hasn’t been picking up your calls.
Before you left home that morning, she agreed to pick up the children afternoon. The caretakers at the children’s park have been calling you for more than an hour now. Nana has still not picked up your children. You are worried. Where could she be? Why is she not picking up your calls?
You managed to pick up your children from the park before six o’clock, and although they are both sleepy, you’re glad they’re safe. At home, you found out that Nana had mistakenly dropped her phone in water, hence her inability to pick up your calls earlier. In addition, she had destroyed the laptop you use for your office work at home. To add to this stress, you discover that there have been recent reports of theft cases in town and you are worried.
Now aside from wondering if bringing Nana to help with the housekeeping duties was the best idea, you’re stressing about your home’s safety and the security of your family. You had a tiring day and currently not in the right mood to deal with such a situation. How long will this continue?
You feel stressed out and disappointed. Now, this may not be your exact story, but I think we can all agree that stress is a common issue in our lives, brought on by many factors. We, therefore, need to break this cycle and minimize our stress. This article will help you to discover how the gym can help with stress reduction.
SO HOW DOES THE GYM HELP WITH STRESS REDUCTION?
- Exercising increases the release of endorphins in your brains
Physical exercises cause an increase in the release of endorphins in your brains. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that boost your moods and improve your mental health. A boosted mood lifts stress and endorphins play a significant role in stress reduction.
- It gradually calms your mind.
As you get physically active after a stressful day, the tensions, frustrations and disappointments you felt during the day will slowly ease down. Your brain focuses on achieving your workout goal and it leaves little room for your stress to increase. You feel excited with a lighter or no burden to stress over. The more you get physically active, the more your stress will gradually decrease.
- It improves your mood.
Stress makes you sad and frustrated. It can sometimes make you feel unfulfilled and increase your desire for a better life. A good workout routine will make you feel happier and better. Stress keeps you awake when you should be resting at night, but after regular physical exercises, you will begin to have a good sleep again. When you start to experience these positive changes, your mood will improve.
- Exercising improves your self-image.
Comparing your achievements or physical looks with others increases your stress level and makes you feel inferior. But you can boost your confidence level after staying dedicated to a good workout routine. Gyms give you the opportunity to have fitness goals and work at attaining them. The closer you get to your fitness goals, the better you feel about your body.
- Works the muscles.
One of the parts of the body which gets tensed during stress is the muscle. Regular workout sessions will help you work on the muscles that have been tensed from stress.
- Exercising helps other organs in the body function better.
A good workout routine balanced with good nutrition can help organs that control cortisol and adrenaline in your body function better. A well-functioning body is a less stressed body.
WHAT EXERCISES CAN YOU DO TO REDUCE STRESS?
No matter the exercise you choose, make sure you do not overburden your already stressed body. Remember stress is a health condition that needs to be managed well, so it will be necessary to take it one step at a time.
Choose a workout plan that works best for you, remember the least you can do at this time is to compare your workout goals with others. You can do these physical exercises to help reduce your stress levels.
- Dancing
Dancing increases your heart’s rate. Most dancing exercises are done in groups and this encourages social interaction, a sense of belonging and a sense of unity. Dancing is one exercise that will keep your brain active healthily through the good music you soak in. It can improve your mental health and boost your self-confidence.
- Pilates
These are a series of exercises that focus on the core strength of the body. “With its equal focus on strengthening and lengthening muscles, Pilates creates a physical harmony that simply doesn’t allow stress to take hold as easily,” says Ellen Barrett, fitness expert and creator of the Pilates DVD Slim Sculpt
- Circuit Training
Here, weight-training takes turns with cardio whilst having brief rest periods intermittently. It is enjoyable and gives you a good feeling by increasing your endorphin level.
- Walking
The repetitive movements of muscles that walking makes possible can be very helpful in stress reduction.
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WHAT FOODS CAN HELP REDUCE STRESS?
Good nutrition plays a vital role in managing stress. Including these foods in your diet will compliment your physical exercise in managing stress.
- Fatty Fish
Salmon, sardines and tuna help manage adrenaline levels and help you ease stress because they contain omega-3 fats which are heart-healthy fats.
- Carrots
Taking in excess calories is what you should avoid when managing stress. Chewing fresh carrots which contain less calories will help ease your stress. Include carrots in your salads and enjoy a healthy meal.
- Yoghurt
Yoghurts are quick to munch on and a great food option when managing stress. Instead of getting candies or ice-creams, why don’t you get some yoghurts to calm your nerves?
- Chocolates
The next time you feel stressed, munch on some bars of dark chocolate. Chocolates may help lower your stress level and make you happier. Remember to take it in moderation.
- Nuts
Stress causes a breakdown in your system and eating foods that will boost your immune system is very vital in stress management. Nuts are go-to immune system boosters containing vitamins and zinc.
- Milk
Frustration makes you feel tired and exhausted. A stressed body needs more bone-building calcium, protein and vitamins. Your choice here matters greatly, choose skim milk or milk with a low-fat percentage. Not a fan of dairy, try almond or nut milk.
- Avocado and Banana
Avocados and bananas contain enough potassium to help keep your blood pressure low. These are definitely a great choice to help you manage stress.
AVOID THESE FOODS IF YOU ARE STRESSED
- Caffeine
Drinking caffeine can leave you nervous and nauseous. Caffeine can increase your levels of anxiety and leave you more frustrated. If you feel like taking caffeine, quickly choose a glass of juice or herbal tea, and your body will be glad you did.
- Gluten
The difference between living with stress and anxiety can be a decision to avoid consuming gluten. Wheat, barley and rye products contain gluten and eating such foods may leave you depressed, anxious and stressed out.
- Artificial and refined sugars.
Although almost every food contains some sugars, making a conscious effort to drastically reduce your intake is a bold step in managing your stress. When you load your system with too much sugar, you feel uneasy and frustrated, your level of concentration is compromised. Artificial and refined sugars will cause a stressed mind and body more harm than good.
- Alcohol
Alcohol triggers the symptoms of fatigue, stress and depression. It leaves its abusers without a focused mind and can cause improper functioning of the nervous system which leads to a mental breakdown.
- Fried foods
A stressed mind and body need to consume foods rich in nutrients and fried foods are not an option. Most cooking oils used to fry foods are unhealthy for your heart and they contain little to no nutrients since they are kept longer in the cooking oil than necessary. Avoid fried foods and opt for more nutrient-rich foods.
- Foods high in sodium
Researchers have discovered that overburdening our bodies with top levels of sodium can negatively have an effect on the body’s neurological system, which means a breakdown in the body’s immune system associated with high levels of stress and fatigue.
The first step towards stress reduction is identifying and accepting your situation. After you identify that you need help, then you can accept and practice all that this article suggests.
Regular physical exercise is a natural, and effective means of reducing your stress levels. Combining your workout routine at the gym with good nutrition is a great means of managing and reducing stress levels.
A highly stressed and fatigued mind and body will not need to indulge in workout routines that will overburden the body and cause the mind to worry. Consult your trainer to help you choose a perfect workout routine that will greatly benefit you as you manage your stress level.
Come into Fitness 1 Gym for your next workout. We would be happy to see you.
Call Us Now To Book Your 1st Fitness Gym Visit: +233 50 811 8888
References
- Quentin Vennie, 1O foods to avoid if you have anxiety, Fox News, July 25, 2016.
- Mayo Clinic Staff, Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress, Mayo Clinic March 08, 2018.
- 9 Exercises for Stress Relief, Everyday Health, Nov 15, 2017
- Dunsmith Gabriel, 16 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety, Healthline, August, 28, 2018.
- Toby Amidor, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. Tarasyuk Igor, Madhu Puri, Top 10 Foods for Stress Relief, Food Network, 2020