April - Stress Awareness Month: Combat your Stress with Exercise

#AgelessTalks #Fitness #Stress

Recent study showed that aerobic exercise can help with blood vessel health and cardiovascular disease. The study highlighted the importance of the findings as part of the treatment for chronic stress, where we see these health problems. The study was presented at the annual Experimental Biology meeting in April 2016. http://www.the-aps.org/mm/hp/Audiences/Public-Press/2016/15.html

Stress can impact four areas of our health:

• body- demonstrating itself as headaches, muscle pains, tension in the shoulders and back.
• emotions- feeling of inadequacy, depression, irritability, poor confidence, anxiety, alienation.
• mind- showing as worry, nightmares, or impaired judgement.
• behaviour- resulting in eating more or eating less, drinking and smoking, falling or tripping, insomnia, exhaustion, teeth grinding. 

Which areas are impacted depends on the stressor, the length of the exposure, its impact on the individual, and how the individual responds to it.

Behind these reactions are key hormones:

• adrenaline and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) - are the fight or flight hormones that provide the burst of energy by stimulating the breakdown of glycogen into glucose. Adrenaline increases the heart beat, sweating, and tense muscles. Norepinephrine is responsible for increased awareness and focus. These hormone are moving blood flow from non essential parts like skin to muscles.
• corticosteroids (cortisol and aldosterone) - promotes survival in a longer term. It takes more time for us to see effects, as it kicks in after storage of glycogen has been depleted. The hormone shifts its support from less essential parts like immune system, digestion, growth, or sex drive to muscles support.

Reference and additional reading: https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-textbook/the-endocrine-system-37/regulation-of-body-processes-212/hormonal-regulation-of-stress-802-12038/

What exercises are best for Stress?
According to the Harvard Medical School (http://health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax), rest and relaxation are far less effective in stress management than aerobic exercise. They found that exercise reduces stress hormone adrenaline and cortisol, and increases production of endorphins - natural painkillers and mood boosters.

1. Weight training, auto regulation,  and "muscle meditation" exercises that use large muscle groups in a rhythmic pattern seem to be the most effective in combating body stress. This is achieved by clear mind-muscle connection. For more details on auto regulation exercises refer to http://www.completehumanperformance.com/autoregulated-training/


2. Cardio, such as jogging, boxing, running, even walking is known to be best for clearing our heads of worries. Aerobic exercise improves blood circulation and provides more oxygen to the brain, which helps with emotional and mind stress.
3. Low impact exercises like stretching, yoga, or tai chi are effective for behavioural stress. However, they are also effective as an addition to weigh and cardio training.

Other, easy exercises for stress that can be done in the office or in the car:
- progressive muscular relaxation exercises, which involve tensing and then releasing each muscle group individually. For detailed instructions please refer to:
http://www.anxietybc.com/adults/how-do-progressive-muscle-relaxation
- breathing techniques that can involve belly breathing, or alternate nostril. Please refer to the article that describes 6 most common breathing techniques that release stress.
http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/08/6-breathing-exercises-to-relax-in-10-minutes-or-less/

"Exercise is good for your mind, body, and soul". Susie Michelle Cortright