Exercise Your Stress Away!

Exercise not only improves your health, but it also reduces stress! …And who doesn’t stress in college, especially as the semester is quickly winding down? Exercise has also been proven to relaxes tense muscles and help you sleep better.
While researching this on many websites, I came across a stress management website that actually gave exercising as a pertinent tool to reducing stress. In terms of actual body benefits, exercise is very important to the body. Firstly, it significantly improves blood flow to the brain, which brings sugars and oxygen needed when you think intensely…meaning exercise can help you perform better in school! Toxic waste products that form in the brain from intense thinking and use can cause foggy thinking and even make you feel tired. From this increased blood flow, you can speed up the movement and removal of these wastes from your body. Exercise also releases endorphins into the bloodstream to give you a sense of well-being, as well. Even if you don’t have time to exercise, stretching can also provide increased blood flow and circulation to many parts of the body.

To sum it up, exercise…

…makes you feel good! Endorphins are what make you “feel good” during or after working out. This is also sometimes called “runner's high”, but running isn’t the only way to obtain it. Any good amount of exercise can contribute to this same feeling!
…helps you relax! After exercising, I've found that I tend to forget about everything stressful in my life and just take in how my body feels. You will be so focused on your body's movements that's you'll actually get a break from stressing. Once you experience this feeling, it becomes almost addicting and sheds your daily tensions. The resulting focus and optimism can help you calm down and be more productive in your daily activities.
…& puts you in a good mood! Regular exercise increases self-confidence and lowers the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. In time, you’ll find that your stress levels will be reduces and you will gain a control over your body and life that you never knew you could have!

All in all, instead of thinking as exercise as a waste of your time, try to think of it as beneficial. It truly does improve your performance in all your daily activities and will help you concentrate and feel better!