Embrace the Power of Movement: Harnessing Exercise to Combat Stress
Our fast-paced, constantly connected world has created a society in which chronic stress is commonplace. The stress response, an evolutionary adaptation designed to protect us from immediate threats, is now often triggered by non-life threatening situations, leading to an overreaction known as stress sensitivity. This relentless stress, coupled with our tech-dependent culture that keeps us always "on," can lead to a host of health concerns, including high blood pressure, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbances, and mental disorders.
While navigating this sea of constant stressors, exercise can serve as a lifeboat. While intense activities like high-intensity spin classes or climbing a mountain certainly have their merits, some exercises are more effective in relieving stress. Here, we’ll delve into some of the most potent stress-busting exercises.
Moving Meditation: This encompasses any exercise where you’re moving your body in a repetitive pattern, such as walking, running, cycling, or paddling. These simple, low-intensity movements can help your mind enter a meditative, de-stressed state. One of the most accessible moving meditation exercises is a simple walk—leave your headphones at home and immerse yourself fully in the experience.
Yoga: An age-old practice that transitions through a series of movements and poses, yoga enhances strength, flexibility, and balance. All yoga styles draw the attention to the breath and are effective at relieving stress. A study led by Dr. Michael Goldstein investigated the effects of a yogic breathing workshop on mitigating anticipatory stress, compared to a wellness education workshop. The yoga intervention improved self-reported measures of perceived stress, social connectedness, sleep disturbances, distress, anxiety, depression, conscientiousness, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Moreover, the yoga group demonstrated a lower resting heart rate prior to a stressful task, indicating the efficacy of yogic breathing in mitigating anticipatory stress responses.
Tai Chi: Originating from Chinese martial arts, Tai Chi involves executing a series of flowing movements while focusing on the breath. Known to improve balance, cognitive function, and motor skills, it also reduces depressive symptoms and perceived stress. Tai Chi can benefit a multitude of health conditions, including Parkinson’s Disease, depression, dementia, and stroke rehabilitation. Some evidence even suggests that Tai Chi may boost immune function, although the effectiveness in disease prevention remains under study.
Qigong: Another Chinese practice gaining traction in Western cultures, Qigong shares similarities with Tai Chi, involving slow, controlled movements synchronized with the breath. Qigong is proven to have physical and mental benefits, including improved immune function and sleep quality, and decreased stress and anxiety. It also promotes desensitization to stressors.
Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong all emphasize slowed, deliberate respiration, long exhalation, diaphragmatic breathing, or attention to natural breaths. One theory as to why these practices calm us down is that attentive breathing stimulates the vagus nerve—the primary nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" system). Moreover, these guided practices demand complete awareness, discouraging distractions like social media scrolling or worrying about emails. This tech-detox, even if only for a 30-minute class, can serve as a potent counter to our present-day culture of distraction, addiction, and stress.
Embracing these mindful practices can provide a respite from the whirlwind of stress, creating a sanctuary of calm and equilibrium in our fast-paced lives. By moving your body, you can, indeed, calm your mind.
The references for this article are available here: https://drgregwells.com/blog/move-your-body-to-calm-your-mind.