The 7 Most Effective Ways to Exercise for Stress Relief
While exercise has tons of physical health benefits, it is also a great way to improve your mental health as well by reducing stress. But which exercises yield the most stress relief? This post is going to give you the 6 most effective ways to exercise for stress relief.
Whether you are an avid athlete or a newbie at the gym, you can find stress relief from incorporating exercise into your weekly routine.
And the good news is that you don’t need to be a savvy weight lifter or go to a super intense 90 minute HIIT class to reap these stress relieving benefits – even going on a walk around your neighborhood can help you reduce stress.
Why exercise relieves stress
Exercising causes your body to produce endorphins, or the feel-good neurotransmitters. You know, in the words of Elle Woods, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.”
Because of those endorphins, exercise can help you reduce stress and the effects of stress on your body.
Another one of the best mental health benefits of exercise is higher resilience that can also impact how you manage stress.
Resilience is someone’s ability to cope with stressors and adapt to changing situations. Exercise can increase your resilience through decreased stress hormones and increased energy.
Now let’s talk about the 7 most effective ways to exercise for stress relief
1. Yoga
Yoga is a great form of exercise for stress management. Research shows that yoga can help you reduce stress, manage symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve overall well-being.
Yoga helps you relax your mind and find greater mental clarity. Additionally, yoga helps you increase your awareness in the present moment which can help reduce the tendency to overthink the past or worry about the future.
If you suffer from physical symptoms of stress, such as tightness in your neck, back pain, etc. yoga can also be an effective form of exercise to help reduce some of that pain and discomfort in your body. Through stretching and breathing techniques, you can release the tension that build up inside caused by stress.
Going to a class at your local yoga studio will provide a full experience with a relaxing environment and in-person instruction, however there are also a lot of free at home options as well. I recommend Yoga with Adriene on YouTube for free guided yoga videos that you can do for free anytime anywhere.
For more information on the physical and mental health benefits of yoga, read more here.
2. Kickboxing and martial arts
Kickboxing and martial arts, like karate, are also great ways to exercise for stress relief.
Not only do they provide physical exercise, these kind of workouts often focus on the breath which can help you release stress that you are holding on to. These forms of exercise for stress relief are also a good outlet for any anger or negative feelings.
I know after a cardio kickboxing class, I feel a sense of a weight being lifted because it provides a way to get your negative energy out in a more productive way.
A lot of fitness centers will offer kickboxing classes or you can find additional martial arts classes by Googling “Martial arts classes near me”.
3. Outdoor activities
Outdoor activities are great ways to exercise for stress relief.
Spending time in nature is not only an amazing way to reduce stress, but it also can help you improve your mood, find creative inspiration, and manage anxiety and depression.
By combining exercise with the outdoors, you can really get some bang for your effort so to speak in terms of maximizing your stress relief.
What sort of activities can you do outside?
- Walking
- Running
- Biking
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Horseback riding
- Swimming
Click here to read the 5 Mental Health Benefits of Spending Time in Nature.
4. Dancing
Dancing is another great workout for stress relief. And I know, you might be thinking “I haven’t taken a tap class since I was six years old” or maybe you avoid hitting the dance floor at a party at all costs…
But you don’t need to have perfect technique or formal training to find stress relief from dancing.
Taking a zumba or dance cardio classes are great ways to embrace dancing for stress relief. Or maybe you even take some ballroom dancing classes on the weekends with your significant other.
In addition to stress relief, dancing can also help you improve balance, grace, and agility so there are lots of reasons to add this form of physical activity to your typical exercise routine.
5. Team-based sports
Team-based sports can also provide a lot of stress relief.
Playing in a recreational league can help you meet new people and make connections with others so it can help you build a support system, and it will feel fulfilling.
Bring a bunch of your friends together to form a team or join an existing league to meet some new people!
It will also give you an opportunity to connect with a former favorite extracurricular or try something brand new.
6. Strength training
Another way to exercise for stress relief is strength training. Weightlifting will help you build muscle and strength in your body, and provide mental health benefits as well.
You can also find a sense of achievement in strength training as you notice your progress and improve.
I know for myself personally, I feel a greater inner strength as I build my physical strength.
7. Cycling classes
The last way to exercise for stress relief is to take a cycling class. Cycling is a great cardio workout and can have many stress relief benefits.
I recommend attending a group exercise cycling class somewhere at your local gym or cycling studio. SoulCycle is one of my favorite cycling studios because they really make the environment feel relaxing and incorporate aspects like candles and motivational music to guide your exercise journey.
If you are more of an at home exerciser, Peloton is a FANTASTIC cycling option for your home. Peloton does require more of an up front investment to purchase the bike, however I have found that it’s really worth it. To be able to wake up and hop right on the bike in the morning is a great way to maintain motivation to workout.
Those are the 7 ways to exercise for stress relief.
In addition to the specific exercises you do, if you are looking to exercise for stress relief I would also recommend considering the timing of your workouts.
I personally like to workout in the morning before work so I can set the tone for my day and get any stress out before sitting down to work. Think it through and reflect on your daily routine to determine the best time to add some exercise.
Use the tips in this post to find stress relief from your exercise routine.
If you’ve been feeling stressed lately or are looking for a long term stress management strategy, you could benefit from incorporating exercise into your weekly routine.
Comment below with your favorite exercise to bust stress!
