Exercise and Stress Control 

So what’s the connection between exercise and stress?

All kinds of things can help us in dealing with stress such as learning relaxation techniques, taking a vacation, or even getting counselling, but we might not realise that increasing the amount of exercise we get can help as well.

This article will discuss some of the connections between exercise and stress control (and as our website is focusing upon binge eating and eating disorders, we will also discuss how this fits in with our recovery plans).

picture by Mike Baird flickr.com

Some of the most important areas where getting regular healthy exercise can help in dealing with stress include:

• ‘Using up’ excess levels of the stress hormones Adrenalin and Cortisol. These are the chemicals that prepare our bodies to fight or run away from a stressful situation.
  
  But as in modern life our stress isn’t usually the type that requires us to fight or flee, these chemicals are not used up and instead produce the unpleasant symptoms that we associate with stress. Exercise can help in mopping up these hormones, bringing our bodies back into balance and therefore reducing our symptoms of stress.

• Improving our overall health and therefore building up our resilience to stress. The healthier our bodies are, the better we will feel both physically and mentally. Our immune systems will be stronger and we will be in a better position to deal effectively with any stress that we may encounter.

• Improving sleep. Poor sleep can be both a symptom resulting from stress, but also a cause of increased stress. We all know how bad we feel after a poor nights sleep! Regular exercise can help ensure we go to bed comfortably physically tired and therefore be more likely to get to sleep quicker and to have better quality sleep.

• Exercise provides an endorphin release – our natural ‘feel good’ chemical! Did you know that doctors are increasingly viewing regular exercise as an effective part of treatment for depression? Anything that increases our endorphin levels in a natural way can help improve our mood and sense of wellbeing.

• Exercise can provide us with a change of environment. An old saying goes “a change is as good as a rest” and exercise provides an opportunity to get out and about and possibly meet new friends as well.

• It provides an opportunity for us to set aside some regular time ‘just for us’ – time away from the other stresses and strains of our everyday lives and to put ourselves first for a while. Some people find they do their ‘best thinking’ while they are out jogging, or doing their Tai Chi or whatever their chosen exercise is.

So those are just some of the positive connections between exercise and stress reduction.

But what type of exercise is best to help us in dealing with stress?

The simple answer is: whatever activity you would ENJOY doing the most, and whatever activity is most likely to become a regular part of your lifestyle! It’s helpful to start thinking about activity in terms of playfulness and having fun, instead of just something that we ‘should’ do. Exercise and stress really do have a connection.

Anything that gets our bodies moving more will help, such as:

• Going out for a bike ride
  
• Enjoying gardening
  
• Playing games with the children
  
• Walking in the countryside or around your local park
  
• Leisure activities such as bowling, tennis, swimming, ice-skating
  
• Kicking a ball around with your friends
  
• Walking your dog
  
• Going out dancing – or just dancing round your room at home to your favourite music!
  
• And these days there of course even computer games that get you out of your chair and moving around!

Exercise and Relaxation!

When thinking specifically about exercise and stress control, we can of course COMBINE exercise with relaxation, such as in activities like Yoga or Tai Chi.

These types of activities are excellent as they are ‘body conscious’ exercises, with their emphasis being more on having a healthy body, including correct breathing, good posture, and relaxation as WELL as getting fit. There is less emphasis on how you look or on being the ‘correct’ weight or body shape.

Exercise, Stress and Eating Disorders

Activities like these can be especially useful for those of us who are struggling with eating disorders because of their holistic approach to health. With problems such as Bulimia, Anorexia or Binge Eating, there is a risk that we can get caught in an ‘all-or-nothing’ type of thinking pattern. And if we are still pre-occupied with our body shape or weight, we could end up using exercise in a compulsive way similar to purging in Bulimia to get rid of calories and control our body shape.

But such body-conscious activities such as Tai Chi or Yoga can help re-connect our selves with our bodies in a more compassionate way, taking the emphasis away from body image and instead helping to improve our sense of self worth and self-esteem.

And as stress can be such a ‘trigger’ to disordered eating behaviours, integrating regular, holistic activities into our lifestyle is a great thing to do to help in dealing with stress for all the reasons given above.

Reality Check:

Of course, whatever type of exercise you decide to do, it is essential to take a common sense approach: Check with your medical doctor before starting any activity or exercise regime, especially if you have not engaged in much exercise for a while. Start slowly and build up the amount of exercise you do gradually. Do not exercise if you are unwell in any way; stop if you feel any pain; wear sensible clothing, and make sure you drink plenty of fluids to keep well hydrated.

By ‘listening’ to your body and taking a sensible, balanced and fun approach, you should find that exercise and stress control really do go hand in hand.