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How Exercise Counters The Effects Of Stress
Health | May 09, 2014
Stress can have a terrible effect on us. It can make us anxious and irritable, frustrated and depressed. Worse, sometimes these moods can linger longer than expected. The mental strain that stress causes can lead to physical symptoms as well. Muscles tense up causing headaches or back pain, our immune system weakens leading to illness such as constant bouts of the cold or the flu. Over time, stress can even contribute to life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease and cancer as well.
The good news is that when we physically stress our bodies with exercise, it actually relieves our mental and emotional stress. Working out at the Zgym may be the perfect antidote to a stressful day, week or month. Not only does exercise help deal with stress, there are plenty of clinical studies that now demonstrate how exercise also treats mood disorders such as anxiety and depression that are often triggered by stress.
Physiological Factors
According researchers at Harvard, exercise plays an important role in physiologically limiting our body’s natural responses to emotional stress. Consistently working out has been shown to dramatically reduce the levels of hormones triggered by stress such as cortisol and adrenaline. Exercise also biochemically stimulates our body’s natural painkillers and mood-enhancers in the form of endorphins and norepinephrine. It also stimulates our brain and improves our cognitive abilities.
Over time, consistent exercise also teaches our bodies to be better at stress management. A recent report by the American Psychological Association explained that exercise forces the various systems in our bodies – cardiovascular, nervous, muscular, etc. – to communicate with greater precision with one another. This allows us to physiologically handle stress in a more efficient and productive manner as opposed to individuals who remain sedentary.
Behavioral Factors
Exercise also provides behavioral changes that help manage stress as well. When we consistently focus on fitness and wellbeing and make it an essential part of who we are, our self-image improves. Our muscles develop and grow. Our waistlines shrink as we burn off fat. We fit better in our clothes. More importantly, we feel better. We have more energy. This has a dramatic effect on our psyche, generating a more positive outlook toward ourselves and toward life.
Exercise also provides a nice distraction from our busy, often stressful lives. When we physically push ourselves to exhaustion we have little choice but to focus on the task at hand. Depending on your level, the intensity of many of the Zgym workouts demand drive and concentration. This requirement of focus serves as a positive distraction from our problems and lets us come back to them with, at least, a little more objectivity than we had before.
Private Member |
Excellent article!!
Private Member |
I have been following you since bodyrock days and appreciate your contribution to our community. I never miss a post or workout and consistently push my self to use heavier weights, improve my times or add an extra rep. I am 49 years old and have been working out since my early twenties. I have done everything from yoga to Crossfit, but your workouts are the bomb for me! In response to this post, I am a clinical social worker and try to impress to my clients the importance of exercise on mood, behavior and general health. Many people choose medication before making more enduring lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. This is unfortunate beecause there is so much personal empowerment resulting from making these changes. There are no quick fixes, or short term solutions for a healthy lifestyle that includes mind, body and spirit. Thank you for putting this out there.
Private Member |
Agreed! No quick fixes indeed 🙂
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🙂
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Agreed this is such a truthful post I can get rid of a headache by doing one of Zuzkas workouts. It works almost every time 😉
Private Member |
That is awesome!
Private Member |
yeah: I definitely think exercise can increase your cognitive abilities. I just wish I didn’t have to get so tired in order to think straight lol.
Private Member |
Zuzka: love your workouts! I know the next series is for abs, but i’m wondering if you wouldn’t consider incorporating arms, as well. I feel like all the strength I had built up with you is gone!
Private Member |
The day i found out i was diagnosed with diabetes was the scariest day of my life, my arm pits wete dark black which means my sugar levels were out of wack!!! i was desperate scared of losing a limb, my eye sight and/or life, stress, depression and feeling sorry for myself started settling in. My sister started with “raw fitness” for one week and had told me that I should give it a try I paid $ 21.00 for 3 weeks, I got used to it and loved it because i noticed a difference on my body i was geeling stronger physically and emotionally, I knew I loved it but couldn’t afford the $149.00 a month! So I went online and found zuzka I did not start right away I did extensive research about her I slowly started her you tube exercises and when I became comfortable I decided that it was time to commit and since then I have not been back! Zuzka stay sweet and leep going with your message to leep people healthy amd exercising, the color of my arm pits are back to the normal color and my family has noticed a huge difference! It’s all to you thank you and keep doing what you do, I have your back zuzka don’t stop!!!!