8 Exercises That Relieve Stress – Women’s Guide to Stress Management

Looking to relieve stress? Find out how different types of exercise, from tai chi to biking, can lower stress while supplying other benefits. You’re sure to find an option that fits your lifestyle.

Medically Reviewed

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. “When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are hormones that fight stress,” says Frank Lupin, MS, ATC, PES, a certified athletic trainer and a personal trainer for Coordinated Health in Bethlehem, Pa. “Exercise helps you get your mind off your problems and clears your head,” adds Thomas Plante, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Santa Clara University in California. Here are eight different kinds of exercise that can heighten energy and provide stress relief.

High-Energy Activities

The benefits of aerobic exercise — like running, dancing, spinning, and in-line roller-skating — include an increased heart rate. When your heart rate is accelerated, your body releases endorphins, natural opiates that make you feel good with no side effects. High-energy activities help you feel better physically and mentally. Just be sure to check with your doctor before starting any high-intensity workouts.

Yoga

Yoga, an excellent stress-relief exercise, involves a series of moving and stationary poses, or postures, combined with deep breathing. A mind-body exercise, yoga can strengthen your body’s natural relaxation response and bring you into a healthy balance. For stress relief, do gentle yoga or yoga for beginners — popular “power yoga” classes may be too intense if your main goal is to ease stress.

RELATED: The United States of Stress

Tai Chi

Like yoga, tai chi is a series of self-paced, flowing body movements and breathing techniques. Although the movements have their roots in martial arts, they are meant to calm the mind and condition the body — making tai chi an excellent choice for stress relief. According to recent studies, this mind-body practice has many health benefits: Tai chi can help build bone density, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, and even ease symptoms of conditions like heart failure, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Another advantage is that once you learn the moves, you can practice them anywhere and at any time — making it an easy activity for people of all ages to incorporate into everyday life.

Pilates

Pilates, a series of controlled movements and mat exercises named after their creator, Joseph Pilates, is designed to build your strength, flexibility, and endurance — all of which make practicing Pilates, an anaerobic (as opposed to aerobic) exercise, a great stress reliever. Pilates also tones your body, which in turn helps you look good and feel better, Plante says. You can take classes at a Pilates studio or at a gym, or use DVDs and home equipment if you prefer to practice on your own.

Other Martial Arts

Another effective way to release energy, frustration, and tension is to learn and practice a martial art. There are many to choose from: Krav Maga, karate, judo, tae kwon do, and more. In addition to keeping you active, martial arts have other benefits; they teach you self-discipline, and the self-defense techniques you learn can make you feel safer.

Kickboxing

Kickboxing is a powerful means of reducing stress. It involves controlled punching and kicking movements carried out with discipline. You can get quite a rigorous workout in a kickboxing class, and that’s only one of its excellent benefits. 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.

Team Sports

Tennis, anyone? One of the best ways to fit exercise into your schedule is to round up friends and family and organize a game of football, basketball, or soccer — just three of many choices. You get a double dose of stress relief from participating in team sports: Not only are you having fun with loved ones, but you’re also working up a sweat and releasing endorphins. Exercising with friends or co-workers can also motivate you to push yourself a little harder in order to stay competitive.

Take It on the Road

Long-distance running, biking, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor activities provide a change of scenery and a dose of fresh air, both of which can help clear your mind, Plante says. Also, outdoor settings such as mountains, a biking trail, or a neighborhood park are pleasant places to spend time in. Beautiful settings, especially in spring and fall, can lift your mood and shake up your workout routine.

Exercising to Relax – Harvard Health Publishing

How does exercise reduce stress, and can exercise really be relaxing?

Rest and relaxation. It’s such a common expression that it has become a cliche. And although rest really can be relaxing, the pat phrase causes many men to overlook the fact that exercise can also be relaxing. It’s true for most forms of physical activity as well as for specific relaxation exercises.

Exercise is a form of physical stress. Can physical stress relieve mental stress? Alexander Pope thought so: “Strength of mind is exercise, not rest.” Plato agreed: “Exercise would cure a guilty conscience.” You’ll think so, too — if you learn to apply the physical stress of exercise in a controlled, graded fashion.

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.

Behavioral factors also contribute to the emotional benefits of exercise. As your waistline shrinks and your strength and stamina increase, your self-image will improve. You’ll earn a sense of mastery and control, of pride and self-confidence. Your renewed vigor and energy will help you succeed in many tasks, and the discipline of regular exercise will help you achieve other important lifestyle goals.

Exercise and sports also provide opportunities to get away from it all and to either enjoy some solitude or to make friends and build networks. “All men,” wrote St. Thomas Aquinas, “need leisure.” Exercise is play and recreation; when your body is busy, your mind will be distracted from the worries of daily life and will be free to think creatively.

Almost any type of exercise will help. Many people find that using large muscle groups in a rhythmic, repetitive fashion works best; call it “muscular meditation,” and you’ll begin to understand how it works. Walking and jogging are prime examples. Even a simple 20-minute stroll can clear the mind and reduce stress. But some people prefer vigorous workouts that burn stress along with calories. That’s one reason ellipticals are so popular. And the same stretching exercises that help relax your muscles after a hard workout will help relax your mind as well.

Autoregulation exercise and stress relief

Regular physical activity keeps you healthy as it reduces stress. But another special sort of exercise known as autoregulation exercises can also reduce stress.

Stress comes in many forms and produces many symptoms. Mental symptoms range from worry and irritability to restlessness and insomnia, anger and hostility, or sensations of dread, foreboding, and even panic.

Mental stress can also produce physical symptoms. Muscles are tense, resulting in fidgetiness, taut facial expressions, headaches, or neck and back pain. The mouth is dry, producing unquenchable thirst or perhaps the sensation of a lump in the throat that makes swallowing difficult. Clenched jaw muscles can produce jaw pain and headaches. The skin can be pale, sweaty, and clammy. Intestinal symptoms range from “butterflies” to heartburn, cramps, or diarrhea. Frequent urination may be a bother. A pounding pulse is common, as is chest tightness. Rapid breathing is also typical, and may be accompanied by sighing or repetitive coughing. In extreme cases, hyperventilation can lead to tingling of the face and fingers, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, and even fainting.

The physical symptoms of stress are themselves distressing. In fact, the body’s response to stress can feel so bad that it produces additional mental stress. During the stress response, then, mind and body can amplify each other’s distress signals, creating a vicious cycle of tension and anxiety.

Because the root cause of stress is emotional, it is best controlled by gaining insight, reducing life problems that trigger stress, and modifying behavior. But stress control can — and should — also involve the body. Aerobic exercise is one approach; physical fitness will help promote mental fitness. But there is another approach: you can learn to use your mind to relax your body. The relaxed body will, in turn, send signals of calm and control that help reduce mental tension.

Autoregulation exercises are a group of techniques designed to replace the spiral of stress with a cycle of repose. Several approaches are available.

Breathing exercise reduces stress

Even without formal meditation and controlled breathing, the gentle muscle stretching of yoga can reduce stress. “Full service” yoga is even better. But if that’s not your thing, simple breathing exercises can help by themselves. Rapid, shallow, erratic breathing is a common response to stress. Slow, deep, regular breathing is a sign of relaxation. You can learn to control your respirations so they mimic relaxation; the effect, in fact, will be relaxing.

Here’s how deep breathing exercises work:

1.     Breathe in slowly and deeply, pushing your stomach out so that your diaphragm is put to maximal use.

2.     Hold your breath briefly.

3.     Exhale slowly, thinking “relax.”

4.     Repeat the entire sequence five to 10 times, concentrating on breathing deeply and slowly.

Deep breathing is easy to learn. You can do it at any time, in any place. You can use deep breathing to help dissipate stress as it occurs. Practice the routine in advance; then use it when you need it most. If you find it helpful, consider repeating the exercise four to six times a day — even on good days.

Progressive muscular relaxation

Stressed muscles are tight, tense muscles. By learning to relax your muscles, you will be able to use your body to dissipate stress.

Muscle relaxation takes a bit longer to learn than deep breathing. It also takes more time. But even if this form of relaxation takes a little effort, it can be a useful part of your stress control program. Here’s how it works:

Progressive muscle relaxation is best performed in a quiet, secluded place. You should be comfortably seated or stretched out on a firm mattress or mat. Until you learn the routine, have a friend recite the directions or listen to them on a tape, which you can prerecord yourself.

Progressive muscle relaxation focuses sequentially on the major muscle groups. Tighten each muscle and maintain the contraction 20 seconds before slowly releasing it. As the muscle relaxes, concentrate on the release of tension and the sensation of relaxation. Start with your facial muscles, then work down the body.

Forehead

Wrinkle your forehead and arch your eyebrows. Hold; then relax.

Eyes

Close your eyes tightly. Hold; then relax.

Nose

Wrinkle your nose and flare your nostrils. Hold; then relax.

Tongue

Push your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth. Hold; then relax.

Face

Grimace. Hold; then relax.

Jaws

Clench your jaws tightly. Hold; then relax.

Neck

Tense your neck by pulling your chin down to your chest. Hold; then relax.

Back

Arch your back. Hold; then relax.

Chest

Breathe in as deeply as you can. Hold; then relax.

Stomach

Tense your stomach muscles. Hold; then relax.

Buttocks and thighs

Tense your buttocks and thigh muscles. Hold; then relax.

Arms

Tense your biceps. Hold; then relax.

Forearms and hands

Tense your arms and clench your fists. Hold; then relax.

Calves

Press your feet down. Hold; then relax.

Ankles and feet

Pull your toes up. Hold; then relax.

The entire routine should take 12 to 15 minutes. Practice it twice daily, expecting to master the technique and experience some relief of stress in about two weeks.

Exercise, health, and stress

Few things are more stressful than illness. Many forms of exercise reduce stress directly, and by preventing bodily illness, exercise has extra benefits for the mind. Regular physical activity will lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol, and reduce your blood sugar. Exercise cuts the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, colon and breast cancers, osteoporosis and fractures, obesity, depression, and even dementia (memory loss). Exercise slows the aging process, increases energy, and prolongs life.

Except during illness, you should exercise nearly every day. That doesn’t necessarily mean hitting the gym or training for a marathon. But it does mean 30 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise such as walking or 15 to 20 minutes of vigorous exercise. More is even better, but the first steps provide the most benefit. Aim to walk at least two miles a day, or do the equivalent amount of another activity. You can do it all at once or in 10- to 15-minute chunks if that fits your schedule better. Add a little strength training and stretching two to three times a week, and you’ll have an excellent, balanced program for health and stress reduction. And if you need more help with stress, consider autoregulation exercises involving deep breathing or muscular relaxation. Remember, too, that mental exercises are the time-honored ways to cut stress (see box).

Popular beliefs notwithstanding, exercise is relaxing.

Image: © Rawpixel | GettyImages

9 techniques to help relieve stress quickly

Photos: Pixabay. Illustrations: Julia Zamzhitskaya

Teacher’s everyday life is filled not only with joyful moments and victories of students, but also with stress, anxiety and irritation. We talk about techniques that can be performed right at the workplace.

Creative Techniques

Circle Drawing

Take two A4 sheets and any art materials (crayons, paints, pastels, pencils or markers). On both sheets, draw in a large circle. Focus on the problem situation and the emotions it evokes. Fill in the first circle with images and symbols that you associate with the current state. Try not to go beyond the boundaries of the circle, but if you do, draw a new border so that the drawing stays in the circle.

After completing the drawing, take a few deep breaths in and out. Take the second sheet and fill in the circle with those images and symbols that you associate with harmony and tranquility. Draw details carefully. Think about what you associate the depicted images with in real life. What action could become resourceful and fulfilling?

Frame technique

Take any creative materials – paints, pencils, pastels. Draw a frame on a piece of paper, stepping back a few centimeters from the edge of the sheet. Choose three colors that match your current state. Fill in the space inside the frame with these colors, acting intuitively. Give the name of the depicted emotion, mentally say it. By speaking out your feelings, you can distance yourself from the experience and reduce its tension. Choose three colors that make you feel good. Fill the frame space with them.

Neurographics

This is a graphical method of organizing and rearranging thinking. Focus on the stressful situation and make a sharp stroke with a marker on an A4 sheet of paper. It is necessary to try to put all negative emotions into the picture. The resulting figure has many intersections and sharp corners that need to be rounded off, and then, using smooth lines, “dissolve” the figure in the background. Due to the rounding, a therapeutic effect and removal of psycho-emotional stress are achieved.

Diary techniques

Freewriting (freewriting)

This technique involves non-stop and non-judgmental writing for a certain amount of time (for example, 5-10 minutes). At the same time, you should not follow the beauty of speech, punctuation and grammar. The essence of freewriting is to “drain” tension and stress onto paper, and it’s not for nothing that the writer Julia Cameron called this writing format “brain sewers.”

Analysis of thoughts and emotions

If a stressful situation is repeated, try to analyze what emotional and behavioral reactions lead to it. A simple technique from cognitive-behavioral therapy is suitable for this.

Divide a sheet of paper into three columns (ABC). In the first column (A), write the event that triggered the stress response, conflict, or emotional downturn. In the third (C), describe how the stress reaction manifested itself (what feelings and emotions you experienced, what actions you performed). In the second column (B), write down the thoughts that preceded these manifestations.

Example: a “difficult” student again came to the lesson without homework and, moreover, was rude (A). This event caused anger and despair in the teacher, and he shouted at the student. (C) The bodily manifestations were heart palpitations, high blood pressure, headache. Starting to analyze the situation, the teacher “caught” an automatic thought that led to such a reaction:

“By his behavior, he lowers my authority and sets the whole class against me. Soon they will all be rude to me and run away from classes, and I won’t be able to do anything about it. I am helpless” (B).

But another automatic thought can evoke the same emotions. For example:

“Because of these scandals, I will have problems, I will be deprived of my bonus. I won’t be able to pay the mortgage.”

The work and understanding of automatic thoughts from the second column is a key factor in working with stress. Try to analyze how and where the harmful attitudes from column B came from, why they are strong and cause stress, and also realize that these thoughts have no serious basis and are caused only by your fears.

Physical exercise

Stress and negativity accumulate in the body in the form of unspent energy. To come into balance and calm down, it is necessary to throw it out through the body or through the breath.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This method was developed by American physiologist Edmund Jacobson. He believed that maximum physical and psycho-emotional relaxation can occur only after extreme stress.

Tighten as much as possible the muscle where you feel the tension is. Hold at the extreme point for 5-10 seconds, then relax the muscle for 15-20 seconds, concentrating as much as possible on the feeling of relaxation.

Shaking Technique

This body technique helps to activate the parasympathetic system, release excess stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, and relieve tension.

Before doing the exercise, close the door so that no one can see you. Stand on the floor with bare feet or comfortable shoes. Start shaking with your hands, gradually including your elbows, shoulders, body, head, legs. You can stomp your feet on the floor a little. The shaking must be intense so that the whole body “turns on”.

“Square breathing”

Find any square object in space: a window frame, a picture, a book. Fix your gaze on the upper left corner and take a slow breath, mentally counting to four, look at the upper right corner and also hold your breath for four counts. Move your gaze along the sides of the square, alternating inhalation, breath holding, exhalation. The head remains motionless, the muscles are relaxed.

Five Senses Exercise

This is a very simple and effective exercise for switching from one emotional state to another. It will help you return to the “here and now” and reduce stress. At the moment when you feel tension, anxiety or anger, note around you:

• five things you can look at;
• four sounds you hear;
• three objects with different textures that you can touch;
• two smells that you can smell;
• is one flavor you can try.

Related materials:

• How to restore healthy sleep and get rid of lack of sleep
• Teachers, breathe deeply!
• Work, personal life and self-expression: how to find a balance if you are a teacher

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3 exercises to relax and relieve emotional stress

If you often hear from your loved ones the phrase: “You look tired, it’s time for you to rest”, you feel overwhelmed in the morning, irritable all day, and at night you have insomnia – Now is the time to take action and learn how to do relaxation exercises.

For many, to relieve stress is to lie on the couch after work and watch a series. But this is an illusion of rest, as the brain and sense organs continue to work. To effectively and quickly relax, you need to perform breathing exercises, play sports, and meditate. It is also important to observe the daily routine, get enough sleep and eat right. We have prepared 3 effective exercises that will help to reduce anxiety and tension in the moment.

Breathing exercise

Movies often show an episode in which the main character begins to breathe slowly to calm down. This way really works. When a person is under stress, breathing quickens and the body simply does not have enough oxygen. If you start to inhale and exhale deeply, then the brain will receive the necessary amount of air for normal functioning.

Breathing practice: Sit or lie down, relax the muscles of the arms, legs, face and upper chest muscles. Start slowly inhaling and exhaling air through your nose while counting to four.

Body muscle relaxation exercise

Muscle relaxation is a technique that aims to tense the muscles of the body and then relax them. Simply put, to relieve stress, you must first tighten your muscles strongly, and then concentrate as much as possible on the feeling of relief.

Set of exercises: Start breathing slowly, try to focus on breathing. Then, while inhaling, tighten the muscles of the hands, clench your hands into fists, while exhaling, relax and concentrate on the process. Then make circular movements with your neck, then raise your shoulders to your ears, and tilt your chin to your chest – as you exhale, feel the pleasant sensations. Then, in turn, strain the muscles of the face, chest, abs, back, legs and catch the moment of relief.

Meditation

Much has been written about the benefits of meditation, it really helps to get rid of anxiety, feel calm and inner freedom. Practice takes 15-20 minutes a day, but you will immediately feel the effect.

Practice: Find a quiet place, sit comfortably, preferably in the lotus position. Choose a point to focus on. You can meditate with your eyes open or closed. At the beginning, it will be difficult not to be distracted by extraneous thoughts, so the dot will serve as a support for you.