Daily life in the early 21st century is full of stress. Both work and leisure/entertainment seem to be racing at ever more demanding speeds. Widespread chaos all over the world is also constantly giving us more reasons to worry. Sometimes one gets the urge to tune out, lie down, and sleep for a week just to relax.
However, it might be that what many of us need in order to de-stress is not more rest but more exercise. This might be rather groan-inducing news for people who already feel tired and drained—after all, it is possible for sedentary work to make a person feel exhausted even though, strictly speaking, they are getting very little physical exercise. To many such people, the thought of expending significantly more energy can seem rather daunting. Still, there are many great reasons to use exercise as a way to relieve stress.
Firstly, exercising can have great psychological benefits. It can help you feel more in charge of your life and your time, and resulting improvements in your health and appearance can boost your self-confidence. Furthermore, exercising in the company of people you like can make a big difference, particularly in our world of remote communication and personalized entertainment devices that, intentionally or not, serve to isolate people from one another.
Feeling less lonely can give you both mental and physical health benefits, not just by making you feel more relaxed, but, as a corollary, lowering blood pressure and regularizing your heartbeat. Physical exercise may also function as a way to work off your nervous energy, anxiety, aggression, anger, etc. Bottled-up feelings are a major source of stress, and finding an outlet for them can make you feel more calm and clear-headed. As a side note, you might, in this more relaxed state of mind, be better-equipped to find solutions to at least some of your problems.
So, how might you incorporate more exercise into your lifestyle, particularly if you already feel tired and pressed for time?
Well, you can increase your exercise through small, gradual changes. For example, try out the old cliché of using the stairs instead of the elevator. If you have a break, go for a short walk (even indoors) instead of staying in your chair. Keeping your changes gradual is the key, particularly if you are used to being sedentary and already have some cardiovascular problems. A sudden and drastic increase in exercise can actually be dangerous. Thus, increase your exercise slowly and work your way carefully towards more intense regimens.
Of course, one of the biggest concerns of many people in our time-strapped age is the effect an exercise regimen will have on their schedule. Actually, adopting an exercise regimen is not as time-consuming as you think. Exercising moderately for half an hour on most days can make a big difference. This exercise can include walking or physical hobbies such as gardening.
Exercising at home or close to home can further lessen the dent in your schedule by cutting out travel time to a relatively distant gym. Furthermore, it is actually possible that doing exercise will improve your time management: you may feel more energetic and alert, which can help you accomplish tasks more quickly and give you more time for rest and leisure.
Lastly, serious exercise need not be expensive. You do not have to buy costly equipment, or shell out a lot of money for classes and trainers. After all, you can walk in normal clothes, and if you wish to jog or run, track suit and running shoes are not all that expensive. As for classes, you may find cheap or even free alternatives with a little digging. Try your community center, or make inquiries at nearby fitness and health food stores.
In conclusion, exercise is a great way to relieve your stress, and ironically may make you feel more invigorated and energetic. It can also be quite cheap and feasible if you thin outside the box. Happy workout!
Keep this in mind: Sleep is very important. Everything – from eating the right foods to drinking lots of water to doing regular workouts to taking the right supplements will be put to waste if you do not allow yourself to get enough rest. Never deprive yourself of quality sleep because that will take a toll on your immune system.
I can’t even keep standing for more than an hour without feeling tired. How can I even convince myself to start moving and exercise? I hope I’m not a hopeless case.