Stress Out, Exercise In

People are stressed out these days. Times are hard. Unemployment is up, the stock market looks like an EKG and who knows what is going to happen with the health care system. In addition, the kids need more for school, the dog is sick, you haven't had a vacation in 2 years and there are no raises in sight. Life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations and demands.
Stress is a normal reaction to events that leave you feeling threatened or upset. When you feel this way, the body's defenses kick into high gear. This stress response when you are threatened is a good thing - it allows you extra strength to defend yourself or provides the tools to rise to a dire situation. However, if life is just stressing you out, it can be pretty bad. Your memory falters, you can't concentrate, you exercise poor judgment, you become irritable, cortisol levels sky rocket, you can't sleep and you want to eat everything in the kitchen. If you continue to stress out, your body really can take a beating - chest pains, diarrhea, dizziness, weakened immune system and loss of sex drive.
Learning to recognize your own personal stress triggers is the first step in controlling stress in your life. While we might not be able to control what is stressing us out, we can take some positive steps in reacting to stress.
Guess what the #1 way to reduce stress is. You got it - EXERCISE. Exercise remodels the brain, making it (your control center) more stress-resistant. When you exercise, your brain releases a neurotransmitter, serotonin; often called the happy brain chemical. Scientists now know that increased serotonin is not necessarily the best stress reliever. Exercise also causes your brain to release another neurotransmitter, dopamine, and this is the good stuff. Dopamine stimulates relaxation and is very helpful with stress management.
But wait, folks, that's not all. Exercising increases the body's release of antioxidants. Anxiety has been linked to oxidative stress, which can lead to cell death, including cells in the brain. Exercise dampens the effects of oxidative stress resulting in less disruption to brain function, lower heart rates and reduced anxiety.
Exercise may not cure everything, but it sure helps out a lot!