Stress is sneaky. It curls up and grows like chia seeds and goes out of control. It has often been noticed that it manifests into physical symptoms like headache, hives and weight gain.
Irrespective of what kind of Stress you have, we are here to suggest an easy, effective tactic to manage your stress levels on a day-to-day basis and even in the long run.
Any guess!!!
WORKOUT!! Yes, you heard right.
The workout is the simplest way to deal with all kinds of Stress & reset your mind and body. It not only improves the physical condition and fighting disease, but it also activates endorphins hormones which makes you feel happy.
Still, doubting How Exercise can Relieve Stress?
Many studies have proven that workout plays an important factor in relieving Stress. Health care experts also recommend keeping your body moving for a healthy and active life. It has a positive effect on reducing tension, anxiety, Stress and depression.
As a first step, towards reading your Stress, you should acknowledge Stress. Knowing about the problem helps in finding the solution, right?
It will really help you to lift the weight up from your shoulders. think positively, and you can take your Stress as an opportunity to reset your mind and rewrite and learn from your experiences. It can also be a sign that your mind and body need a break.
Apart from all methods of reducing Stress, the overall health benefits of exercise buffer, so let’s have a look at the best workouts to pumping up the levels of endorphins and relieves your from Stress:
- TAI CHI: A form of Chinese martial art, Tai Chi is often described as a meditation of motion. This workout combines a series of gentle and fluid movements. You can perform it easily at your home without any equipment. Apart from reducing Stress, this Exercise increases body flexibility, enhances well-being, boosts energy level and strengthens immunity.
Time: 5-10 Mins
Practice: Twice in a day
- Yoga: Now, globally, people are acknowledging the power of yoga. This is one of the best stress relief exercises, which you can practice at your home. It helps to enhance mental concentration and maintain stress level. When we get stressed, our mind loses its calmness and clouds of chaos hovers. Practising yoga daily helps to clean all those clouds and make you mentally strong.
Some yoga and pranayama to reduce your stress level:
- Uttanasana with Shoulder
- Halasana-Plow Pose
- Prasarita Padottanasana
- KapalBhati (breathing exercise)
- Sarvangasana
- Anulom-Vilom (breathing exercise)
- Sukhasana
Minimum time required: 5-10 minutes (maximum as per your body flexibility and strengthens)
Practice: Once in a day
- Walk: One of the easiest and cost-effective exercises, walking is great in reducing Stress. You can walk in your society park, home, balcony, backyard or wherever you wish- just walk and rejoice the benefits of walking. Time to time, many studies have proven that people with regular walking tend to report a lower level of Stress than others. If you are new in walking, start at a slow pace and try to increase it eventually. Maybe you heard the phrase’ walk when you talk,’ so remember it and if possible have a companion to cover more distance. Benefits of walking are endless; it just not helps you to get de-stressed but helps in maintaining weight, relieving muscle tension and keeping you overall fit.
The time required: Minimum 20 mins
Practice: Once in a day or twice
- Dance: Have you remembered your childhood? When every small happiness was a reason for dancing. I bet many of you just experienced it. How happy and free we feel at that time. Well, why wouldn’t it? It is a great way to reduce Stress after all. The best about it, there is not any rule, just open your heart, play your favourite song and let your body move. Pick whatever you wish Salsa, freestyle, classical, contemporary, street-style, and you will feel that it is reducing the symptoms of Stress, making you happy, with other amazing health benefits. Let get this groovy and kick-aside Stress out of our lives.
The time required: 15-30 minutes
Practice: Whenever you want
- Pilates: Recently, pilates has started gaining a massive recognition to stay fit and stress-free. It works great for both anxiety and Stress. Along with this, it helps your body to remain flexible, make you mentally stronger, improve your postures and immunity. It also releases muscle tension, provides more oxygen to your brain and increases well-being. However, start it slowly and gradually increase the intensiveness.
The time required: 10-15 minutes
Practice: 4 days in a week
- Qigong: Similar to Tai Chi, Qigong is also a beneficial Chinese martial art technique which helps in reducing Stress. Though instead of a heart-pumping workout, this is a medication and deliberate approach for keeping you healthy. Its slow, gentle and focus movements relax the nervous system. Most of the Edumagnate employees follow this routine Exercise to make their concentrate better. Like Tai Chi, you can easily practice it at your home.
The time required: 5-10 minutes
Practice: Once in a day
- Tabata: Maybe you have seen many videos of Tabata on youtube and have witnessed how Tabata Pushup Drill can work for you. Practising this vigorous Exercise reduces your stress level. This is a form of HIIT training and was introduced by a Japanese scientist Izumi Tbaat. As the intensity of this workout is high, try to start with basics such as jumping jack and pushups. Look at how to do this:
- Jumping jack/jumping rope: Do it for 40 times, take a 20-sec break, again do it for 40 times and take a 10-sec break. Repeat the process for 3-4 times in the beginning.
- Pushups: Start with a count of 15 and set your own limit and pass the Stress, which is bothering you.
Time Required: 5-10 minutes
Practice: Once in a day
- Breathing: well!! Wondering what breathing is doing in the list? Breathing is your personal air filter. No seriously, we are not kidding—deep breathing help in controlling your Stress and makes your body regain the state of equilibrium. Nothing much is required to do it; just make yourself comfortable and concentrate on your breath. The best time to perform breathing exercise is in the morning, though you can do it whenever you want. Here is a way to do it:
- Inhale deeply with a count of 1…2…..3….4……5……
- Exhale the air with a count of 1…2…..3….4……5……
Repeat the and pattern for a few minutes.
Inhale air for 5 seconds, hold it for 6 seconds and then open your mouth for 7 seconds to exhale the air.
- Cardiovascular and Aerobic Exercises: Cardiovascular and Aerobic Exercises creates the level of intensity which requires to release mood-raising endorphins in your body. These exercises help in increasing your heart rate. Jumping ropes, jumping jack, swimming, jogging, brisk walking are a few examples of Cardiovascular and Aerobic Exercises. Also, CrossFit or boxing has added great ways of cardio, which you can enjoy while having some fun with friends.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Practice: Once in a day
- Gardening: Might be you are thinking, what? Gardening? Who is going to get their hands dirty!! Believe us, folks, it is a great stress buster. And it is also scientifically proven that Gardening uplift your mood and on the other hand, burn your calories. Additionally, you will make your garden look like heaven and will love to spend your quality time here. Though you can start it for a short duration and work, just clean the wastages, remove weeds and water your plants. We are sure you will begin to feel connected with earth and soil while refreshing your soul.
Time Required: 10-15 minutes
Practice: Once in a day
Easy Ways to Relieve Stress quickly
- Stretch your neck: Sit straight and move your head left and right towards your shoulders. Do it at least for 2 mins.
- Hands and shoulders: Raise your hands up until you feel a stretch in your tummy. Stay in the position for 30 seconds then slowly take your hands down—repeat it for 3 to 4 times. Move your shoulders in the clockwise and anticlockwise direction for 5 to 10 times.
- Fingers: Shake your fingers and shake the Stress out with it.
- Waist: Stand in a comfortable position, now rotate your waist in clockwise and anticlockwise, five times each.
- Legs: Sit on a chair with a straight back, lift both of your legs high in parallel with your stomach then slowly take them down. Also, you can rote your legs clockwise and anticlockwise. Repeat each one for five times.
- Laughter: Laughter is beat therapy for reducing stress and anxiety. Take some time to spend with your friends, throw some jokes or watch funny videos to make yourself laugh. Laughing out loud will remove all of your stress and worries without costing a penny.
Make these exercises fun and entertaining. You can pick any of the above exercises according to your preference, but ensure to practice them regularly to see the positive results. This will help you to know how great exercising is.
Kaylee Brown is a fitness freak; she loves to read health and fitness blogs. Apart from that she is senior subject matter expert at edumagnate.com.