What Should I Do If Exercise Is Painful
Never ignore pain. You may cause stress and damage to your joints and muscles if you continue exercising through pain.
If you still feel pain a couple hours after exercising, you have probably overexerted yourself and need to decrease your activity level. If your pain persists or is severe, or if you suspect you have injured yourself, contact your doctor.
If you are unable to regularly participate in exercise or athletics, you can also try other tools to help boost your mood. Studies of meditation and massage therapy have demonstrated that these techniques can stimulate endorphin secretion, increase relaxation, and aid in boosting mood.
Why Does Exercise Reduce Stress How Much Do You Need
Its clear that exercise is beneficial for mental health. Whats not clear is how it works. according to the Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Health letter.
Photo by Luis Quintero on Unsplash
In one study, researchers reported that clinically depressed adults who participated in regular exercise for three months had an improvement in symptoms similar to what might have been achieved with antidepressant drugs. Other studies have found that higher levels of physical activity are associated with fewer symptoms of depression in children as well as improvement in symptoms of adults with PTSD, panic, and other anxiety disorders.
Possible explanations are that vigorous exercise can increase levels of endorphins, which are known to provide a sense of well-being and increased resistance to pain. Elite marathoners may experience a feeling of euphoria referred to as the runners high and are often so insensitive to pain that they continue to run on broken bones that would normally bring them to an immediate halt. However, the old adage no pain, no gain no longer seems to be valid since many stress-reduction rewards can be achieved by walking for 20-30 minutes several times a week or other much milder physical activities that promote a sense of well being. The support provided by others in group exercise activities as well as an improved sense of selfesteem associated with physical activity can also have powerful stress reduction effects.
How Can Exercise Help
The mechanisms by which exercise reduces the symptoms of mental illness are not fully understood. We do know that exercise may provide a sense of enjoyment and fulfillment. Exercise can enhance self-efficacy and self-esteem by helping us master new skills. Exercise can also be a great opportunity to make friends, whether it is in a dance class or on a soccer team.
In terms of the biological mechanisms, exercise has been shown to cause changes in certain chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins are the feel good chemical messengers that help relieve pain and stress during exercise. Exercise also stimulates the release of other chemicals called dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Sounds fancy but what does that mean? Well, these brain chemicals play an important part in regulating your mood. In fact, they are the same chemicals that are targeted by medications for mental illness. Exercise also helps to reduce the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol, so that we feel less stressed out.
Also Check: Does Stress Cause Brain Tumors
Check With Your Doctor
If youre out of shape or new to exercising, ask your doctor for guidance on what forms of exercise are right for you. They can help you develop a safe and effective workout routine while taking your specific condition and fitness level into account. Discuss appropriate intensity levels with your doctor.
You can enjoy the stress-relieving benefits of exercise even if youre out of shape or not athletic. Regular exercise can help you feel less stressed, anxious, and depressed, and more relaxed, optimistic, and happy. It can also improve your overall health, including the health of your heart.
Working Out Makes You More Resistant To Stress
Regular exercise regulates the stress levels in your body. Exercise activates your metabolism, which improves stress hormone regulation, making you more resistant to stress so you can cope with it in a more relaxed way.
Ready to get started? Our free foodspring workouts are effective fitness plans to do at home, tailored to your goals and your fitness level.
You May Like: How To Reduce Employee Stress
Tips To Motivate And Maintain
Make it fun: Its essential to find ways to enjoy exercise and make it fit into your lifestyle. Check out what the athletics program has to offer. If team sports arent for you, think about taking a P.E. class, joining a student group related to exercise, or taking walks in the wildlife sanctuary.
Mix it up: Its great to engage in a variety of activities so that you are working out different muscle groups. It also helps keep you interested and engaged. Who knows, you may end up discovering something you really love!
Make it social: Finding a workout partner can help you stay committed, since its harder to cancel on someone other than yourself. It can also make exercise more fun, and youre multi-tasking by getting social time in at the same time.
Making time: It can be challenging to find time in your busy schedule to exercise. Keep in mind that any activity is better than none. If you cant schedule a 40-minute workout, keep in mind that ten-minute walks between activities add up. You may find that getting out of bed a half hour earlier to exercise will give you an energy boost that makes up for hitting the snooze button a couple more times.
Make a commitment: Scheduling a time on your calendar, taking a class, or making a date with a friend can give you enough extra motivation to stick with it. It can also be helpful to set specific goals for yourself.
Exercise Can Boost Mental Health
Along with mitigating the negative effects of chronic stress on the mind and body, habitual exercise can improve mental health. Many experts believe routine exercise is as powerful in treating anxiety and mood disorders as antidepressants.
Preliminary evidence suggests that physically active people have lower rates of anxiety and depression than sedentary people. But little work has focused on why that is. To determine how exercise might bring about its mental health benefits, some researchers are looking at possible links between exercise and brain chemicals associated with stress, anxiety and depression. One theory is that physical activity triggers a release of dopamine and serotonin, which can improve mood.
But there are other reasons exercise plays a crucial role in mental well-being.
For example, exercise can be particularly helpful for people who deal with anxiety and panic attacks. When you engage in strenuous physical activity, you’re essentially mimicking the responses that can come with anxiety, allowing you to learn how to manage these responses and not be overwhelmed by them in other situations.
For even more impact on your mental health, combine your exercise routine with other evidence-based practices, like or, reap the benefits of some good, old-fashioned fresh air and sunshine by taking a walk outdoors.
Recommended Reading: Where Does Stress Acne Appear
Evidence That Stress May Increase Pa
Speaking to the point of positive influences of stress, 29 studies found that stress predicts an increase in PA behavior , ten of which were prospective . Other studies found trends in this direction . Lutz et al. found that this was only the case for habituated exercisers. Brown et al. found that some life events were associated with increased PA, including distressing harassment, beginning a new close personal relationship, retirement, changing work conditions, major personal achievement, death of a spouse/partner, and income reduction. Seigel et al. reports that in a random sample of young Swedish women, 22.0 % were likely to increase PA, 60.1 % were likely to be unaffected, and only about 16.5 % of respondents were likely to decrease PA with the experience of stress.
Learn How To Relax And Have Fun
- Set aside time for yourself each day.
- Time to relax, rest and take a break from all your responsibilities.
- Keep your sense of humour!
- Connect with others. Spend time with people who have a positive impact on your life.
- Have lunch or go for a walk with a friend.
- Do something you enjoy every day.
- Listen to music you enjoy.
Recommended Reading: How To Tell If Your Cat Is Stressed
Contrary Evidence For An Association Between Stress And Pa
Despite this evidence, some studies have found no association whatsoever between stress and PA. In fact, 34 studies in this review found no effect of stress on PA outcomes and several more found marginal or conflicting results . These studies frequently had less rigorous designs , smaller samples sizes , and very poor measures of PA/exercise and/or psychological stress . Stress management interventions have failed to demonstrate a concurrent increase in subjective and objective markers of PA , and stress did not appear to affect compliance with exercise programming . As mentioned above, eight prospective studies did not find a relationship. For instance, Grace et al. , examining a group of pregnant women over three time periods during and after pregnancy, found no relationship of role strain or pregnancy with PA.
The Psychological Benefits Of Exercise
Most of us know the many physical benefits of exercise: weight control, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of diabetes, and increased energy, just to name a few. But what about the psychological benefits of exercise? From easing symptoms of depression and anxiety to keeping your memory sharp, theres no shortage of mental benefits of exercise. Whether you need motivation to get to the gym or to just take a brisk walk, the five psychological benefits of physical activity below will have you tying up your shoe laces and heading out the door.
You May Like: Can Stress Cause Your Period To Be Late
What Impact Does Physical Activity Have On Wellbeing
Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our wellbeing. Even a short burst of 10 minutes brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood.
Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety. It also plays a role in preventing the development of mental health problems and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental health problems.
Impact on our mood
Physical activity has been shown to have a positive impact on our mood. A study asked people to rate their mood immediately after periods of physical activity , and periods of inactivity . Researchers found that the participants felt more content, more awake and calmer after being physically active compared to after periods of inactivity. They also found that the effect of physical activity on mood was greatest when mood was initially low.
There are many studies looking at physical activity at different levels of intensity and its impact on peoples mood. Overall, research has found that low-intensity aerobic exercise for 3035 minutes, 35 days a week, for 1012 weeks was best at increasing positive moods .
Impact on our stress
When events occur that make us feel threatened or that upset our balance in some way, our bodys defences cut in and create a stress response, which may make us feel a variety of uncomfortable physical symptoms and make us behave differently, and we may also experience emotions more intensely.
Conflict Of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
References
Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., and Walters, E. E. 2005. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 62:593602. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593
The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents. 2015. Report on the Second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Available online at: www.health.gov.au
Rosenbaum, S., Tiedemann, A., Sherrington, C., Curtis, J., and Ward, P. B. 2014. Physical activity interventions for people with mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Clin. Psychiatry 75:96474. doi: 10.4088/JCP.13r08765
Schuch, F. B., Deslandes, A. C., Stubbs, B., Gosmann, N. P., Silva, C. T., and Fleck, M. P. 2016. Neurobiological effects of exercise on major depressive disorder: a systematic review. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 61:111. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.11.012
Schuch, F. B., Vancampfort, D., Firth, J., Rosenbaum, S., Ward, P. B., Silva, E. S., et al. 2018. Physical activity and incident depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Am. J. Psychiatry 175:63148. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194
Recommended Reading: What To Do When Feeling Overwhelmed And Stressed
How Exercise Promotes Positive Well
Exercise can also be used to enhance well-being in people who already feel mentally healthy. Increased physical activity has been found to enhance mood, improve energy levels, and promote quality sleep.
There are several reasons why physical activity can be good for psychological well-being:
How Exercise Reduces Stress
Aerobic exercise is key for your head, just as it is for your heart. You may not agree at first indeed, the first steps are the hardest, and in the beginning, exercise will be more work than fun. But as you get into shape, you’ll begin to tolerate exercise, then enjoy it, and finally depend on it.
Regular aerobic exercise will bring remarkable changes to your body, your metabolism, your heart, and your spirits. It has a unique capacity to exhilarate and relax, to provide stimulation and calm, to counter depression and dissipate stress. It’s a common experience among endurance athletes and has been verified in clinical trials that have successfully used exercise to treat anxiety disorders and clinical depression. If athletes and patients can derive psychological benefits from exercise, so can you.
How can exercise contend with problems as difficult as anxiety and depression? There are several explanations, some chemical, others behavioral.
The mental benefits of aerobic exercise have a neurochemical basis. Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. Endorphins are responsible for the “runner’s high” and for the feelings of relaxation and optimism that accompany many hard workouts or, at least, the hot shower after your exercise is over.
Read Also: Can Stress Cause Heart Problems
How Physical Activity Can Help Reduce Stress
Physical activities, such as jogging, workout routines, dancing, and bicycling are good for your body and for your mind. Almost any form of exercise, from low intensity activities like yoga to high intensity activities like a Tabata class can act as a stress reliever, no matter your fitness level. Here’s how it works:
The Course Website And Blog For The Fall 2014 Instance Of Penn State’s Sc200 Course
Have you ever been super stressed and gone for a run or went to work out? Did you feel better after? Ive heard so many people say that physical activity relieves stress but I never really believed it. I found an article that talks about how getting rid of stress is impossible but that there are ways to manage it. In a poll that the ADAA gave they found out that about 14 percent of people manage stress with exercise. Theyre already heading down the right path participating in running, yoga, and walking.
Becoming fit and staying healthy are just some of the benefits of physical activity. These examples that the article provides are great, Studies show that it is very effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and at enhancing overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate. Stress doesnt only affect your body but your mind as well. When you are constantly stressed you can run into other problems such a depression. When you exercise much of the time your self-esteem improves which is a big psychological win.
Recommended Reading: How Do You Overcome Stress
Further Ideas For Starting Or Keeping Up With Physical Activity
NHS
The NHS Choices website has a number of tools to help people get started with physical activity, including exercises for older people, strength and flexibility videos, advice on taking up new sports, and advice on getting started with walking. The tools are available here: www.nhs.uk.
The Great Outdoor Gym Company
Outdoor gyms are gyms where some gym equipment is provided in outside spaces for people to use for free: www.tgogc.com.
The British Heart Foundation
How Physical Activity Reduces Stress
It’s safe to say that chronic feelings of stress have been much more prevalent over the past few months amidst this global pandemic. Your physical health is monitored even more closely and extra precautions are taken daily to prevent the spread of the virus. However, mental health is just as important, and it is crucial to recognize feelings of anxiety, depression or stress that you may be experiencing.
It can be seen as a little ironic that exercise is a form of physical stress, but the right amount can reduce your mental stress. Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. Scientists have found that even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects. Aerobic exercise is not limited to running or using the elliptical, it could be a fun game of tennis, a nature hike on your favorite trail or a few laps in the pool.
Try to aim for 30 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 15 to 20 minutes of vigorous exercise each day. Dont make exercising another stressful part of your day either, find something that you actually enjoy!
Join RCW for Virtual and In-Person fitness classes to help combat your stress!
Cited:
Publishing, H. Exercising to relax. Retrieved August 31, 2020, from
Don’t Miss: What Is Good For Stress And Depression
