Stressing your body through strenuous physical activity can help to beat the symptoms of stress. Doctors often recommend exercise as a coping mechanism for individuals who have mental health issues such as depression and stress because the physiological reaction of the body can have a potent and positive effect on our mental state.
Perhaps the most obvious reason for exercise’s ability to help us handle stress is the chemical reactions released during physical activity, a process that has been developed over thousands of years of humankind known as “fight or flight response”. This is a primitive, automatic reaction that prepares the body to deal with any threat or danger and is prompted by any kind of excessive stress, such as physical activity or mental stress.
You can recognise when your body is going into fight or flight mode because nerve cells start firing, chemicals such as adrenaline and noradrenaline are released into the bloodstream and the respiratory rate increases as blood is pumped into our muscles and limbs – ready for them to either fight or flee.
The stresses we face in the modern world are more likely to be linked to our social environment but the body’s reaction is the same so when we get overly stressed, adrenaline is pumping, hearts are racing and limbs are primed – but we don’t physically release all that pent-up energy. That’s why pumping iron at the gym, going for a lung-bursting run or raising a sweat at an exercise class can help by releasing the energy and allowing your body to return to normality, both physically and mentally.
Frustrations and negative emotions can also be expressed physically and in a way that’s much more healthy than having a stand-up row with someone. For many people, exercise is also a way to lose themselves in repetitive activity, whether it’s running, cycling or swimming. Concentrating on what you’re doing allows you to forget about your problems while you work out and can even allow you to focus on fixing what’s going on for you without any other distractions.
Whatever kind of physical activity you indulge in, you will feel and even see its stress-relieving benefits very quickly.
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