Reduce stress and anxiety

Easy ‘at home’ exercises to reduce stress and anxiety

Everyone gets stressed out every now and then. It’s a normal part of life – however, if you are experiencing the kind of stress and anxiety that’s getting in the way of you living a healthy, happy life, it might be time to re-evaluate your exercise routine.

Why? Because specific low impact activities have been proven to reduce your cortisol levels (your body’s stress hormone) to promote a clearer, calmer mind. By focusing on a slower, more mindful exercise routine, you’ll not only help alleviate stress and anxiety but can also expect a more restful night’s sleep and an overall improvement in mood.

To help you manage stress and anxiety, we’ve created our top 4 workouts guaranteed to help you feel a greater sense of calmness and wellbeing in your life. And the best part? These workouts don’t require an expensive gym membership or the use of heavy machinery, so you can stretch out and move in the comfort of your very own home.

Yoga

Derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj” meaning union, Yoga is an ancient practice that brings together the mind and body. By combining yoga poses with controlled breathing and mindfulness, this low-impact exercise has been proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and relax the mind. Ideal for both men and women of all ages and fitness levels, Yoga is great for those wanting to manage their anxiety levels and let go of unnecessary worry or fear.

Get inspired by these stress-relieving Yoga series you can do from home.

Pilates

Developed by Joseph Pilates a German physical trainer, Pilates was designed to strengthen muscles, improve posture and flexibility and relieve the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Through slow, controlled movements, Pilates not only helps to release tension in the muscles but also sends more oxygen to the brain through deep breathwork. These mindful breathing techniques help to trigger the brain to relax while creating a phycological response in the body to naturally reduce anxiety and stress.

Practice mindful breathing with full body Pilates workout.

Resistance bands

Exercising with resistance bands not only helps to improve strength, flexibility, balance and coordination, but can also help to lower anxiety and stress. These large elastic bands can be used to exercise all areas of the body and are perfect for people with limited mobility, as many of the exercises can be done while seated. In fact, the British Heart Health Foundation recommends using resistance bands as they are a great way to get your heart rate up in a healthy, monitored way without leaving you feeling light-headed or dizzy.

Improve your strength and flexibility with resistance band workout.

Core workouts

According to research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, core strength can actually help reduce the feeling of stress and anxiety. How? Well, a significant number of neurons in the axial (abdominal) muscles are actually connected to the adrenal medulla – the source of adrenaline, a neurotransmitter related to stress. Strengthening your core through workouts such as sit-ups, planks, bicycle crunches and push-ups are not only great for overall fitness but are also a key contributor to managing the detrimental effects anxiety has on our mental health and wellbeing.

Strengthen your core with a quick ‘at home’ core and ab workout.

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Source

1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2016/08/11/1605044113), last access in November 2020

Disclaimer : This document is for general information purposes only. This is neither a medical advice nor is meant to be a substitute for you consulting with your doctor.