This claim is supported by a number of health professionals and sports coaches.
Short-term moments of stress are not a serious problem for people’s health. Continuously high levels, on the other hand, could make it significantly worse.
During physical or emotional stress, a person’s body enters the physiological fight-or-flight reaction, as a result of which various hormones are released, adapting the body to its surroundings.
One of these hormones is cortisol, which is released by the adrenal glands. It provokes the release of glucose, which in turn provides the muscles with the necessary energy to deal with the emerging threat.
As cortisol levels increase, heart rate may increase, breathing may increase, and dizziness or nausea may occur.
Constantly high levels of cortisol, such as can be observed with continued high levels of stress, can increase the risk of a number of diseases – cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, as well as chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Regularly occurring stress is also the cause of restlessness, irritability, sleep disorders, abuse of various substances, mistrust, anxiety, and other psycho-emotional changes.
According to the World Health Organization, stress levels could be controlled with the help of sufficient hours of sleep, a healthy diet, and limited time on social networks and news feeds. Another method of balancing the state is meditation and deep and conscious breathing techniques.
However, the most effective method of dealing with stress remains physical activity.
Regular exercise doesn’t eliminate the cause of stress, but it could improve mood, reduce tension, and improve sleep quality, ultimately helping to maintain balance.
The reason for stress reduction as a result of physical activity is the release of endorphins, which are associated with elevated mood, noticeable euphoria, and reduced sensitivity to pain.
Training is a very good and effective method of controlling negative emotions and stress.
Levels of physical activity could be adjusted according to mood. In the case of highly negative emotions, it is possible to increase their intensity or duration, and conversely, in an elevated mood – lighter training.
According to a number of studies, aerobic exercises such as swimming, running, dancing, and boxing are some of the most effective for stimulating the release of endorphins. However, lighter forms of physical activity are also beneficial, for example, yoga, strength training, or walking. In some cases, they could even have a greater impact.