The Best Way to De-stress

Talk about multitasking: Exercise is the ideal way to ease stress and get fit in the bargain.

It’s common to focus on the frequently touted physical perks of exercise: weight loss, heart health, muscle-building, and disease prevention, to name just a few.

But body benefits aside, physical activity also serves as an effective natural stress buster.

That’s good news for people whose fast-paced, busy lifestyles include high-stress jobs or situations (and doesn’t that include everyone, from time to time?).

A stressful day at the office can make you want to go home and park yourself on the couch to unwind.

Choose instead to lace up your walking shoes and hit the sidewalk, or to hop on the treadmill for an hour of active TV watching, and see how you feel afterward.

You’ll likely find that the stress of the day has drained away, leaving you more relaxed and in better spirits.

What is it about exercise that makes it such an effective stress reliever?

For one thing, physical activity can serve as an outlet for your pent-up frustration or anxiety. Once you’ve released that tension through a heart-pounding workout, you’ll feel better able to handle whatever tomorrow may bring.

Another way exercise can help is by releasing your body’s “feel-good” chemicals, called endorphins, and decreasing stress hormones such as cortisol.

Exercise may also work as a distraction from your problems and as a source of social support and interaction, if you choose to work out with a friend or in a group environment.

Whatever the reasons behind the stress-reduction effects of exercise, it is undeniably a healthy coping mechanism. Encourage your employees to work out daily for double-duty benefits.