Exercise and Stress

Anyone who exercises regularly knows what a powerful ally it can be in counteracting stress. Since your body was made to be active, every part of it functions best when you keep moving on a regular basis.

Exercise connects you with the source of your pure energy and makes you feel fully alive. Part of the scientific explanation for the euphoric feeling often associated with vigorous exercise has to do with the release of pleasure-producing chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins are actually natural hormones that are released during some forms of strenuous exercise of long duration.

Endorphin secretion has also been associated with increased pain tolerance, improved appetite control, and a reduction in anxiety, tension, and anger.

Especially important to women is the implication of endorphins in the regulation of the female menstrual cycle.

Recently, other factors such as alpha brain waves, neurotransmitters, and elevated body temperature have also been linked to the sense of well-being that often accompanies vigorous exercise.

As a specific response to stress, certain glands of the body produce stress hormones, which can build up and cause anxiety. Exercise can stimulate the release of substances that counteract the negative effects of these stress hormones. This reaction is a beautiful illustration of the body's natural ability to balance itself under the proper conditions