3426: [Part 1] Exercise As Stress Relief by Holly Jackson with Elly McGuinness on Long Term Stress Management

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[00:00:30] This is Optimal Health Daily. Exercise As Stress Relief. Part 1 by Holly Jackson with Elly McGuinness. And I'm your narrator, Dr. Neal Malik. Welcome to another edition of Optimal Health Daily, where I read some of the best blogs covering health and fitness, just like an audiobook. Now don't forget, we have other shows where we do this. Just search for Optimal Living Daily to find all of them. Now because today is Wednesday, I want to stick to my habit of giving you a

[00:01:00] little bit of inspiration like I do every Wednesday. So here we go. Quote, the best way to get over doubt and inexperience is action. Robert Herjavec. Now today's post is a bit longer than what I typically narrate. So whenever that happens, I read the first half today and then I'll finish it up for you tomorrow. So with that, let's get right to it as we optimize your life.

[00:01:28] Exercise as stress relief. Exercise as stress relief. Part 1 by Holly Jackson with EllyMcGuinness.com. In a previous article, I introduced the concept of biopsychosocial approaches to well-being. I explored healthy eating as an example of how a balanced lifestyle supports good mental health and well-being.

[00:01:48] However, having a healthy, nutritious diet is not the be-all and end-all. Environment, psychological coping strategies, and exercise in particular all play key roles in reducing stress and achieving a good state of mind. But to fully understand the relationship between stress and exercise, we first need to look at a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol. Stress hormone or rocket fuel?

[00:02:17] Cortisol gets a bad rap. It's one of the stress hormones and it's blamed for poor sleep, weight gain, muscle deterioration, and lethargy. But it's also cortisol which gets us up in the morning and regulates our weight, blood pressure, and energy levels. As well, it gives us an extra boost during short, intense bursts of activity. One easy way to remember cortisol's functions is to think of the caveman lifestyle.

[00:02:44] When we evolved, our main form of stress was from physical hazards or difficulty sourcing food. It definitely wasn't from fretting over our emails as often happens today. If you have too much cortisol, your body assumes that you are under stress from the threat of physical danger or starvation. It therefore starts to raise your blood pressure, your heart rate, and your blood sugar levels.

[00:03:10] This is important to provide the energy and the motivation to run away from a predator or give chase for food. The problems with chronic cortisol elevation. Cortisol also triggers the body to store more energy as fat. This is because in the prehistoric environment, we would be able to go for longer periods without food, especially during the winter months. However, these adaptations are not a good fit for modern society.

[00:03:39] If your cortisol levels are raised because of work stress, for example, chances are you will not be doing enough regular physical activity to regulate the excess cortisol and adrenaline. This is problematic because exposure to high levels of cortisol for extended periods can lead to several health issues. These include weight gain, high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, depression,

[00:04:06] difficulties with memory and concentration, digestive difficulties, heart disease, and diabetes. Exercise as stress relief. The connection between cortisol and exercise. Cortisol is released when exercising, and it changes the way the body's endocrine system functions to encourage you to keep going when experiencing stress. During these times, cortisol raises your blood pressure, increasing your heart rate,

[00:04:34] ready to pump oxygenated blood to your active muscles. At the same time, levels of blood sugar are increased to give your muscles more energy to fight or flee. The longer you exercise, and the more pressure you put on your body, the more cortisol is produced. However, the body also reacts to excess cortisol. Its regulatory system sets in, balancing the levels of hormones in your body. This is called homeostasis.

[00:05:03] So how does exercise reduce stress? What gentle to moderate exercise does is train the body to resume homeostasis after experiencing high levels of cortisol. Exercise reduces stress by teaching your body to relax faster after periods of stress. Your overall cortisol levels will also decrease. When to exercise and what to eat to reduce stress.

[00:05:31] Exercise is therefore essential for regulating the endocrine system, and as such, ensuring the smooth running of our mental and physical functions. To use exercise as stress relief, it's preferable to exercise earlier in the day when your cortisol levels are naturally higher, so as not to disrupt your circadian rhythms. Ensuring that you have eaten carbohydrates and protein before your physical activity may also stop you from putting extra stress on your body.

[00:05:57] A decent cool-down to help mitigate the impact of exercise stress. Another technique to keep cortisol levels down and treat exercise as stress relief is investing in your cool-down period. Exercise can help relieve stress when slow movement and deep breathing are incorporated after physical activity. This combination helps to lower cortisol by triggering the parasympathetic nervous system.

[00:06:23] This system restores balance to your cortisol and adrenaline levels after stress or a workout. Try a relaxing, full-body stretch routine after a general cool-down to help activate the parasympathetic nervous system after your workout. There is also significant evidence to suggest that listening to slow, calming music relieves high cortisol levels. It may even help your body recover more quickly following exercise. Rather than rushing your cool-down, take your time.

[00:06:53] Findings from the University of Nevada suggest that the optimal music tempo for relaxation is around 60 beats per minute. For best results, individuals should listen to it for at least 45 minutes while in a relaxed position. To be continued. You just listened to part one of the post titled Exercise as Stress Relief by Holly Jackson with elliemcginnis.com And I'll be right back with my commentary.

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[00:09:44] Today's author, Holly, explained the why of exercise. Why exercise can help reduce stress. I'm a fan of this because pretty much everyone understands the idea that exercise helps relieve stress. But most don't understand why exercise helps with this. Sometimes when we understand the why behind something, it motivates us to act.

[00:10:06] So instead of a response like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I've already heard a million times that exercise can help lower stress levels. When we understand the why, in this case how the body responds to exercise and how that relates to cortisol levels and how cortisol levels relate to stress. Well now, this level of understanding can often inspire us to take action. So let me ask you, did it work?

[00:10:32] If you're not quite convinced yet, definitely come back tomorrow where I'll finish up this post. So I'll see you there, hopefully, where your optimal life awaits.