Exercise promotes chemicals in the brain that improve your mood and help you maintain a consistently high level of quality care. Bonus: it’s fun.
Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease on 31 December 2019, we have all been under unprecedented pressure.
When under pressure, you may experience feelings of tiredness and your emotions may get ahead of you. The good news is that there is a lot you can do about it, and it is really easy too.
Exercise is one of the best, most natural ways to reduce stress levels. Exercise reduces your body’s levels of the stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, and stimulates the production of endorphins: chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and elevate your mood.
Exercise improves oxygen and nutrients delivered to your brain, causing you to concentrate better. It can give you a sense of accomplishment, improve your sense of self-esteem, help you to sleep better and boost your brain power.
No, you don’t have to spend hours in the gym to feel these benefits. Climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator, or park your car further away from the entrance and walk. Formal exercise – such as running, cycling, and resistance training – is good, but research shows that moving regularly every day can be even better.
So how do you fit exercise into your busy schedule? Group exercise routines e.g. getting together in the workplace, are a great way to promote a sense of togetherness. They improve motivation, social interaction, keep you accountable – and they’re just plain fun. An activity like this can help employees cope with stress.
Dancing is a great overall exercise. It works on most of the big muscle groups and is good aerobic exercise. To work out a dance routine could be fun and interactive, and learning these routines helps distract from the bad news around us.
As a general guideline, it is recommended that you participate in light- to moderate-intensity exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week. Unfortunately, this is not always possible but anything is better than nothing.