Have you ever had a good workout that brought instant relief and made your stress magically disappear? If so, you’ve probably wondered how exercise reduces stress so reliably and quickly.
Read on to learn the exact mechanisms behind the calming impact of physical activity and how to take full advantage of it every time.
While physical activity impacts the body on many levels, some of which we’ll discuss below, the primary mechanism behind physical activity’s anti-stress effect involves endorphins.
Endorphins are opioid hormones (capable of suppressing pain) that your body releases in response to pain or stress. Since exercise creates discomfort and can be stressful, depending on the magnitude and duration, it forces your body to flood you with endorphins.
You feel calm and in a better mood after working out because, aside from suppressing pain, endorphins also create a sense of heightened mood or even euphoria. Ever heard of the runner’s high? That’s why it happens.
Aside from the immediate effects of exercise on stress levels, working out a few times a week has additional advantages.
Most notably, research finds a strong link between regular physical activity and lower scores of anxieties and depression. Simply put, active people tend to be more confident overall and less likely to get depressed (even seasonally).
Second, we need to mention exercise and cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone. When elevated chronically, it can be bad for your health. However, regular exercise helps keep this hormone in check, which is shown to help control stress and promote well-being.
Third, exercise has been shown to help improve sleep, which is a huge benefit. Sleeping better can improve stress resilience, critical thinking, and creativity, helping you tackle problems head-on and find solutions.
Besides that, there’s also the practical benefit of doing something for yourself and taking your mind off things that worry you. Rather than thinking about an issue you’ve had, you can focus on a workout––be it to run a longer distance or lift more weight at the gym.
Then, thanks to the flood of endorphins, you would be less likely to go back to worrying about the issue and can instead spend a few hours in a better mood. Who knows? You might even come up with a solution for the issue when you’re not overly stressed or worried.
While there are many ways to leverage physical activity to support your mental health, the best workouts for stress relief share some common characteristics:
Consistency over intensity - hitting a new deadlift PR can be rewarding, but exercise tends to provide the greatest stress relief when the effort is manageable and sustained for an extended period.
Exercise outdoors when possible - having a run or a bodyweight session outside can feel incredibly relaxing, more so than working out in a crowded gym.
Don’t forget to cool down - pair a good workout with a post-session ritual consisting of some light stretching and meditation. This is also the perfect time to take some gummies for anxiety relief to amplify the effects of endorphins and boost your mood for the rest of the day.
Focus on the process, not just the goal - instead of being obsessed over a finish line you’ve created in your head, try to enjoy the process as much as possible. While working out, feel your body move and be mindful of how it helps you feel better, move more easily, and build your physical capacity for everyday life.
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