About 8 in 10 Americans say they frequently or sometimes encounter stress in their daily lives. It’s a surprising statistic especially when considering the toll stress takes on your body. Here are 4 ways stress can affect your body and how to counter it.
Stress Can Make You Sick
Stress can weaken the immune system. It is the cause of many diseases like high blood pressure, low thyroid, heart disease and diabetes. When the body is stressed, cortisol and other stressed related hormones are released
. The body then goes into fight mode where all catabolic systems that break down your body are activated while all your anabolic systems that oversee growth and renewals are shut down. This means that chronic stress keeps our cortisol levels high and are constantly tearing down the body at a cellular level.
Stress Makes You Age Faster
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of beauty? Is it skin, hair and nails? Chronic stress can cause hair loss, hair breakage, psoriasis, eczema and brittle nails.
Additionally, stress breaks down collagen in your body. Collagen is what makes your skin firm, healthy and youthful. When cortisol is high, cells begin to age faster and die.
Stress Affects Your Mental Health
When the body is under stress, toxins are released into your body. Some of these toxins can cause anxiety and depression.
Two of the most important nutrients that Americans are deficient in are Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids. Both can affect your mental health. Vitamin D deficiency has been related to Alzheimer’s and Omega-3 fatty acids deficiency has been related to depression.
Stress Makes You Gain Weight
When you’re experiencing chronic stress, cortisol levels stay high. When cortisol levels stay
high, blood sugar stays high and your metabolism slows down. This, along with binge eating and comfort eating, can lead to stubborn belly fat.
So How Can You Reduce Stress?
You can reduce stress by increasing your physical activity. Here are 3 ways that exercising can be beneficial:
- It releases endorphins. Physical activity can increase endorphins, and make you feel good.
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It can help you forget daily stresses. As you begin to regularly eliminate your daily tensions through physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help clear your mind.
- It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase your self-confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety.
6 Types of Exercises Known to Reduce Stress
If you're wondering what kind of exercises you can do to reduce stress, here are 6 types:
1. High Energy Activities - Engage in activities that will increase your heart rate like running, dancing, and spinning. These exercises will help you feel better physically and mentally.
2. Yoga - Yoga can strengthen your body’s natural relaxation response and bring you into a healthy balance.
3. Pilates - Build your strength, flexibility, and endurance — all of which are a great stress reliever. Pilates also tones your body, which in turn helps you look good and feel better.
4. Kickboxing - Kickboxing regularly will help improve your balance, flexibility, and coordination. It’s also a great way to work out frustration — having an outlet to release energy and anger can relieve stress.
5. Group exercise - You'll get a double dose of stress relief. Not only are you having fun with a group motivated towards the same goals, but you’re also working up a sweat and releasing endorphins. Exercising with a group can also motivate you to push yourself a little harder.
6. Walking - Walking frequently can reduce the chance of developing stress-related conditions, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.
So next time you’re feeling stressed, head over to the gym. You’ll be surprised on how good you feel when you leave. You can even get started with this simple stress-relieving move:
You Could Win 3 Months FREE
National Stress Awareness Day is Wednesday, November 7th and all Gold’s Gym SoCal locations are celebrating by opening their doors for FREE all day! So, bring a friend, coworker or family member and workout for FREE on us. We are also giving 1 lucky Instagram follower 3 months FREE. Here's how to qualify. << Read More
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