How often do you feel stressed out?
If you’re like most adults the answer is, “A lot.”
I understand. Life can be stressful. You might be juggling so many things in a day that you don’t know which end is up. It’s common for adults to experience stress as they struggle to balance kids, work, marriages, chores, financial worries, and other family obligations. It’s a lot for anyone to handle.
I’m sure you know that stress isn’t good for you. People who are stressed out often experience health problems as a result. These can include:
Insomnia
High blood pressure
Headaches
Nausea and stomach upset
Diminished libido
None of those things are fun, and yet many of us accept them as a matter of course.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way.
There’s plenty of evidence showing that regular exercise reduces stress and its unpleasant symptoms.
Working out improves your blood flow, as we’ve discussed. It also helps you get better sleep, and it floods your body with feel-good hormones that reduce stress.
The thing you need to know about stress is that it’s a physical response. It’s part of the “fight or flight” system that protects all animals, including humans, from danger. The problem is that our bodies can’t tell the difference between a true life-or-death situation and the kind of stress that comes from work or paying monthly bills. It reacts in the same way.
Over time, stress can become chronic.
Our bodies can get stuck in that stress response, and the relaxation response fades into the background.
Studying martial arts sends signals to your brain and body that there’s no need to be on alert. The increased blood and oxygen flow invigorate your body and the hormones released after a workout help relax you.