Stress-Busting Exercise by Brett Klika, C.S.C.S.

Consider a casual “how have you been” conversation between two friends or acquaintances.  “How are things?” To fit the current social constructs, the answer to that question should involve the words “busy, crazy, and stressed” if we want to be perceived as a contributing member of society.

This culture of busy we have adopted comes at a cost.

Anxiety, depression, and other stress-related health problems are contributing to our growing morbidity and mortality rates from “preventable” diseases. While this “everything, all the time” American culture is not about to change anytime soon, the good news is that research has found some simple stress-busting strategies EVERYONE can do.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, as little as 5 minutes of aerobic exercise can decrease tension, elevate mood, improve sleep, and improve self -esteem.

Think of aerobic exercise as ANY activity that uses large muscles and increases your heart rate for a sustained period of time.  It appears that when this happens, hormones and other neurochemicals are released that relieve tension, stimulate and protect the brain, and improve our mood.

While going for a walk, jog, run, swim, or bike ride comes to mind for most people, remember, ANY activity that follows the above criteria could work.

Dancing, hiking, playing with your kids, or flying a kite could all be aerobic exercise!

As a matter of fact, you don’t even need to leave your house, office, hotel room or kitchen to add a quick bout of mood elevating, tension- releasing exercise to your day.

CLICK HERE for a short (less than 7 minutes), simple exercise routine you can do at home with little space, no equipment, and no change of clothes to tame your tension and feel great every day.

The next time life starts to bog you down, remember to get your heart rate up!

Brett Klika, author of the Underground Workout Manual- Fat Loss Results for Busy Adults (www.undergroundworkoutmanual.com) is an award winning personal trainer, author, and international motivational speaker.  He inspires men, women, and children around the world to create a culture of wellness in their home and live the best version of their life.

Contact Brett with questions or comments at brett@spiderfitkids.com.