Combatting the Adverse Effects of Chronic Stress: Discover the One Activity That Can Improve Your Health

In today's fast-paced world, many people find it hard to switch off and relax. Inflation, global warming, and gun violence are on the rise, while bullies proliferate on social media. The 24/7 news cycle constantly blares distressing news, and people often face difficult personal or professional situations. The result is that about half of Americans experienced stress within the past day, according to a Gallup Poll survey from last October, a finding that was consistent for most of 2022. Personal finances and current and political events were major sources of stress for one-third or more of adults, a survey from CNN in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation found in October.
Stress isn't inherently bad, and short-term stress in healthy people typically isn't a hazard, but if stress is continuous, especially in older or unhealthy individuals, the long-term effects of the response to stress may lead to significant health issues. Stress occurs when you face a new, unpredictable or threatening situation, and you don't know whether you can manage it successfully. When you're physically or emotionally stressed, your body snaps into fight-or-flight mode. Cortisol rushes through your system, signaling your body to release glucose. Glucose, in turn, provides energy to your muscles so you are better prepared to fight off a threat or run away. During this cortisol rush, your heart rate may rise, your breathing may become rapid, and you may feel dizzy or nauseated. If you truly needed to fight or flee a predator, your cortisol levels would drop back down once the conflict was over. When you're chronically stressed, however, those levels stay elevated, and high levels of cortisol can exacerbate health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic gastrointestinal problems.
Luckily, there are many ways to combat stress. Keep a daily routine, get plenty of sleep, eat healthy foods, and limit your time following the news or engaging in social media. It also helps to stay connected with others and to employ calming practices such as meditation and deep breathing. One of the most successful tools, though, is physical activity. Exercise is remarkably effective for managing psychological stress. It doesn't remove what's causing the stress, but it can boost mood, reduce tension and improve sleep, all of which are impacted by stress, and ultimately this can support people to approach their challenges in a more balanced way.
Numerous studies back up the positive effect of exercise on stress. Physical activity, and especially exercise, significantly reduced the symptoms of anxiety in a study published in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, for example. Similarly, a Frontiers in Psychology study of university students found that regularly engaging in low- to moderate-intensity aerobic exercises for six weeks helped alleviate their depressive symptoms and perceived stress.
Exercise causes your body to produce more endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that boost your mood. Movement also combats elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol while improving blood flow. While studies show aerobic exercise, such as swimming, running, dancing, and boxing, may be the most efficient at getting mood-boosting endorphins rushing through your body, gentler forms of physical activity work, too. Think yoga, strength training, and walking.
Since social engagement is a powerful protective factor for positive mental health, exercising with others is encouraged. Studies also have shown being out in nature boosts your mood, so exercising outside with friends may provide even more benefits. Since stress loads may change weekly or even daily, it can be helpful to alter your exercise based on your mood. Opt for something gentle if you're feeling a low number on the stress scale, but go for a run if you're feeling particularly good.
Combining mindfulness and physical activity can improve sleep and help regulate emotions more than either alone, according to a small study published recently. However, another factor to consider is the type of exercise you choose to do. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise, such as running or dancing, may be the most efficient at getting mood-boosting endorphins flowing through your body. However, gentler forms of exercise such as yoga, strength training, and walking can also be effective. In fact, sometimes less is more when it comes to exercise and mood-boosting benefits. Dr. Choi explained that "what we’re seeing from the data is you actually need to move less than the recommended guidelines to see positive effects on mood."
In terms of deciding what type of exercise to do, Richard Scrivener suggested altering your exercise based on your mood. For example, if you're feeling a cheery 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, you could go for a run. If you're barely hitting a 3, opt for something more gentle like a 15-minute stretch followed by a light cycle for 15 minutes, or a 30-minute swim followed by a sauna session. This approach ensures that you're not overdoing it when you're already stressed and are able to listen to your body's needs.
Finally, making exercise a social activity can also help combat stress. Social engagement is a powerful protective factor for positive mental health, and studies have shown that being out in nature also boosts mood. Therefore, exercising outside with friends may provide even more benefits. However, it's important to remember that exercise should not be relied on exclusively for coping with challenges or as a way to avoid facing difficult situations. Doing so can backfire and create more stress.
In conclusion, chronic stress can have negative effects on our health and well-being. However, there are many effective ways to combat stress, including exercise. Exercise causes our bodies to produce mood-boosting endorphins, combats elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and improves blood flow. Even small amounts of movement can have a positive effect on our mood. Therefore, incorporating physical activity into our daily routines, even in small ways, can help us manage stress and approach our challenges in a more balanced way.
Source: CNN.com