Tuesday, December 2, 2008

What Is The Best Exercise To Reduce Stress?

By Don Raemond

Yes, I know exercise is not the an exciting subject to talk about. But it will help you reduce stress, which will improve your sense of well being and lead to a more enjoyable life. If you have avoided exercising, just getting started is the most difficult part.

Stress reduction is a great reason to get the exercise ball rolling. How often have you heard someone you know say about an ailment, "it's just stress related"? Most folks have a tendency to make light of stress, but it's a fact that too much stress in your life can eventually lead to illness and even serious health problems. So starting an exercise regimen to reduce stress in your life could be one of THE most important decisions you make.

Exercise will strengthen your body, inside and out and bring your stress levels down. Even performing simple activities like walking, stretching, or hiking will strengthen your heart, lungs and muscles.

Walking might be easiest exercise choice for most of us. You don't need a membership and you can do it in a short period of time. Walking can be a lot of fun, especially if you have a partner to go on walks with you. You can enjoy some good conversation while you walk. Doing it with a friend will make walking something you'll look forward to doing.

Slowly pick up the pace of your workout to make your walk even more beneficial to your health. Walk a bit faster and a bit farther every week. Walking might just be the best overall activity there is if you do it with a purpose. That means you should challenge yourself and maintain your target heart rate for approximately 20 minutes. If you don't know your what your target heart rate is, you can find out by doing a search on the internet. Pick up a high quality heart rate monitor so you can monitor your heart rate while you walk.

Before you start your daily walk, make sure to do some basic stretching to loosen up the muscles in your shoulders, neck and legs. This will get your blood flowing help you avoid injuries.

You could get involved in a variety of activities to help reduce stress. But walking is simple, exhilarating, and it doesn't cost you a cent. It's one of the few activities that allows you to get your workout done very quickly, and that's important if you have a busy schedule. You can stretch and walk, in about 30 minutes. I think you would agree that you can find a 1/2 hour each day for an activity that will make you happier and healthier.

Even if you have to settle for a short walk occasionally, the exercise and socializing will definitely reduce stress over time. So grab a pair of comfy shoes and a heart rate monitor, and walk as often as you can. It will reduce stress levels, and it will make you feel wonderful. - 16004

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