Morgan Rose Elliot
With the constant commotion of daily lives, we cannot help being succumbed by some stressful situations. From job obligations and work-related agitation to minor daily challenges, stress has simply become a part of life. If you get entangled with your worries and not do something that will help you let loose and feel at ease, your state may accumulate and worsen, and then stress could even lead to some severe illnesses. The key is to get active and stay in motion for stress relief. Doing some form of physical activity will shift your focus to mindful thinking and make you will more serene, energetic, and your old self. Numerous activities can help you relieve stress, and here are the most effective ones.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a well-know Chinese martial art that involves doing slow movements with a focus on deep breathing. It is also often called a ‘meditation in motion’ since it automatically relaxes your muscles, and promotes the focus on the mental absorption of mundane daily worries. However, one of the most crucial and practical benefits of tai chi is its superb ability to reduce stress and anxiety levels through those slow movements. What is more, if you implement a habit of practicing tai chi regularly, you will improve your flexibility, boost energy levels, and have a more restful sleep, all of which are contributing to tranquil mental stability. Moreover, this is a rather safe and inexpensive activity which you can practice wherever you are.
Yoga
Practicing yoga daily is like doing total detoxification of your entire organism. Yoga is a fantastic mindful activity that not only helps you relieve stress, but it can reduce blood pressure, make you more mentally healthy, psychologically stable, and physically fit. While doing yoga, you are incorporating light exercise with relaxing physical movement, controlled breathing, and meditation. All of those activities provide excellent stress relief from all the things that have been troubling yours. Some yoga postures might be demanding as they enhance strength and stamina, while others utilize deep breathing techniques that enable your muscles to calm. You only need to find a perfect balance between the relaxation postures and intense training.
Martial Arts
There is no doubt that good boxing or Muay Thai session can help you release all the negative tension that has been piling up. You can easily let all your worries out on the mats or in the ring while breaking a sweat. It is a known fact that stress is the fundamental cause of more than 6 percent of all human illness, and if you require a productive and forceful stress reliever, then you should try martial arts. As martial arts represent a great way to break the tension out by doing hard and strong physical movements and cardio workouts, you might want to get the most quality ankle supports to protect your ankles, joints, and wrists from potential injuries. These sports may have a higher risk of damages, so you had better search for some sites to find the best equipment on the market.
Brisk walking
Any physical activity triggers the release of endorphins that stimulate relaxation and relieve pain. And the higher levels of endorphins, the calmer you will feel. If you are not much of a sporty type or you simply don’t prefer doing exercises, there is one physical activity that can still boost the release of endorphins and helps you relieve stress, and that is walking. Brisk walking includes faster and more agile movements, but you don’t need to push hard. Actually, by walking around the neighborhood, or anywhere else on fresh air, you can equally decrease anxiety levels and enhance the positive state of mind just as if you have spent an hour in a gym. Invite a friend and family to join you in brisk walking. Social support form loved one’s lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and improves stress resilience.
Cycling
If you spend a lot of time indoors, surrounded by unadorned walls, you will experience stress at one point in your life. If you have to commute to work every day, you may substitute cycling over driving. Going for a bike ride instead of driving a car is proven to be a fruitful de-stressing activity. Many people don’t show up to work because they are under stress, and the best way to avoid that feeling is to get up on your bike. The benefits are innumerable. You are always out on fresh air, you are getting some active adrenaline boost, and when you turn your pedals, you begin to get your blood pumping. Thus you are enhancing your mood and feeling happier.
Meditation
Any form of physical movement does your body good. Meditation comprises various internal and mental activities that offer short-term stress relief as well as long-lasting stress-coping mechanisms. If you practice meditation for stress relief, you will surely find your inner peace quickly and effectively. The best thing about meditation is that is doesn’t require any special equipment, and you can do it anywhere you desire. All it takes is taking a few minutes in a serene and secluded area to practice mindfulness. With meditation, be assured that you will reduce negative emotions like depression and anger, manage your stress levels, and fertilize self-awareness.
Swimming
Swimming is a marvelous physical activity that helps bump up the production of endorphins, and as you begin to shed your daily tension with swimming, you will feel calm and stress-free in no time. As you do several laps in the pool, you will forget about the day’s irritation and feel refreshed and re-energized. Swimming is also associated with a healthy heart, so you will lower the risk of potential cardiovascular problems and immediately improve your immune system. What is more, swimming truly represents a whole-body activity that will help you relieve stress and worries.
Focus on doing things you love, never compromise on doing activities that don’t suit you. Set smart goals, eat a healthy diet, go out as often as possible, be surrounded by gregarious people, and change some of your old habits with healthier alternatives. With those things in mind, and by doing some of these physical activities, you have the perfect stress-relieving recipe.
