It is probably impossible to eliminate stress and anxiety, but one can learn to manage them. While there are variety of treatments for stress and anxiety reduction such as medication, cognitive behavior therapy, relaxation techniques, coping skills, recreational activities and family support, physical exercises may be the one most recommended by health care professionals and very successful to deal and to relieve stress and anxiety symptoms.
Exercise has been linked to numerous physical health benefits such as improving weight, blood pressure, lowering the risks of cardiovascular disease and other illnesses, and even increasing longevity. Anxiety, depression, and hostility (or negative affect) are typical stress symptoms. Since exercise is associated with short-term mood benefits, it is an effective approach to stress reduction for members of both normal and highly stressed populations.
One biological explanation asserts that exercise increases body temperature, adrenal and steroid activity, as well as the release of certain neurotransmitters such as endorphins.
According to the study by Southern Illinois University, all of the participants responded that they experienced positive emotion elicited after engaging in physical exercise. The positive emotion seems to bring them a feeling of happiness and comfort about who they are more than before they engaged in physical exercise. People with high levels of stress before engaging in physical exercise seemed to alleviate perceived stress after finishing exercise due to positive emotion. (Jong-Ho Kim, Larry A. McKenzie, The Impacts of Physical Exercise on Stress Coping and Well-Being in University Students in the Context of Leisure, Health, 2014, 6, 2570-2580)
Can stress be reduced by exercise?
