After a long day at work, going to the gym may be the last thing you feel like doing. Still, it is important to exercise. Regular exercise burns fat, improves the cardiovascular system, increases oxygen intake, reduces the risk of disease, lowers your blood pressure and has all sorts of other positive effects. Reducing stress is also part of this. But in what ways can exercise reduce stress? In this article, we will look at this in a little more detail. Read along?
Where does stress come from?
Every day you have to deal with a lot. Especially at work or in your studies, you are stimulated all day long, which can cause stress. It is not always easy to find out if you suffer from too much stress.
There are a number of signs that may indicate that the balance between stress and relaxation is disturbed:
- Are you tired faster than usual?
- Do you sleep worse? - Do you wake up unrested?
- Are you more irritable than usual?
- Do you notice that you have no energy to do the things that normally come easily to you?
- Do you suffer from negative thoughts more often?
- Do you lack motivation (at work, in your private life and for sports)?
If you suffer from any of the above, it is important to do something about it! Many people who exercise experience that it clears their heads or calms them down. And often this is certainly the case.
This is because exercise releases two important substances: Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Endorphins. Both substances support the hippocampus in the brain. The hippocampus inhibits the production of the well-known stress hormone cortisol.
If cortisol levels are persistently high, unfortunately, the hippocampus will also function worse. Stress then increases even further. A properly functioning hippocampus is therefore extremely important for stress reduction. Break this negative spiral by getting the hippocampus working properly again and how do you do that? Exactly, by exercising! Sport can help you find your inner peace again. We will give you some examples.
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Sport affects your hormone balance
The hormone endorphins are released by exercise and this makes you feel good. The stress hormone cortisol is broken down faster. This makes you feel relaxed. People with long-term stress have elevated blood pressure. Exercising lowers your blood pressure and is better for your health
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More energy
Stress makes you feel sluggish. Anything that requires extra effort you don't feel like doing. You'd rather hang out on the couch and do nothing. This is precisely when it is important to exercise. From sports you get an energy boost and you feel vital.
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Positive feelings
Exercise has a positive effect on your overall psychological state, such as your feelings and emotions. After you exercise you feel better because the endorphin hormone produced also gives a feeling of happiness. You can thus break the spiral of negative feelings. You feel proud of yourself, happy with your achievement. Your sense of self-esteem grows. Even if you don't suffer from stress yet, exercise can make you feel even better. It can make your body more muscular, positively stimulate your mind and, of course, you can lose weight through exercise. All this will ensure that you feel great (again)!
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Exhaust valve for frustrations
When annoyances or frustrating situations pile up, you may experience stress. Intensive forms of training such as boxing and weight lifting can provide an effective release of these negative emotions. Thus, you will transform these potential unhealthy emotions into motivated ones. So what are you waiting for? Head for the gym!
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Sleep is very important against stress
Another sleepless night behind you as you lay staring at the ceiling? Sleeping with stress can be difficult. Stress is the number one cause of sleeping problems. This is because when you are stressed, your body is full of the stress hormone cortisol, which keeps you restless. And to sleep well, your cortisol hormone levels must be low.
Keep moving!
It doesn't really matter at all in what way you move your body. Running, biking , walking, playing soccer, yoga, pilates, swimming or boxing. Any sport you engage in will cause you to produce happiness hormones resulting in less stress.
