Dear Patient and Friend,
Doctors, researchers and sports trainers agree – exercise is one of the best ways to reduce your stress. Why does exercise make you feel so good?
Physical activity turns on chemicals in the brain called endorphins, which act like organic painkillers, relaxers and sleep aids. You make more of these feel-good neurotransmitters when you exercise, when you get a massage, even when you meditate or breathe deeply. It’s your body’s natural stress reducer.
Exercise helps you stay sharp mentally, reduces fatigue, and makes you think better overall. And it doesn’t require all-out intense exercise to reap significant rewards – a routine as simple as three to five thirty minute workouts each week is generally enough to stay at a reasonable level of fitness.
But you can reduce your stress with a lot less exercise than that – some scientists have found that as little as five minutes of aerobic exercise kicks your anti-anxiety machinery into gear, decreasing tension, improving mood, and building self-esteem.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that seven out of ten American adults report feeling stress daily, and most say that it has a significant negative effect on their lives.
Imagine how much positive energy could be created if many or most of that 70% included a little exercise in their daily routine! Handling stress is a key to successful, healthy living, so let’s spread the word – take good care of your body, and it will take good care of you!
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For Your Health,
Dr. Wendy Lanser D.C.