Exercise and Stress

by Janice Burdon

November 2006

There's a disease in our society that affects both young and old alike.  It causes your heartbeat and breathing to quicken, raises your blood pressure, disrupts your sleep, and gives you migranes while upsetting your stomach and depressing your immune system! You get the picture!  Yes... STRESS!!!

Ninety percent of illness is stress-related. I was shocked to learn recently that one out of every three teachers is on stress leave!  Our society is fast paced and demanding and we just can't keep up!  The good news is, we can can prevent stress from affecting our health in a negative way. The National Institute of Health recommends that exercising 20-60 minutes, 3-4x per week will definitely improve one's ability to relax and sleep.  Other benefits include: promotion of self-esteem, enhancement of energy, concentration and memory. Exercise also slows down the aging process!  When one exercises, the brain releases endorphins, which is an opium-like substance that eases pain and produces a sense of comfort.  It also encourages the nerve cells in the brain to secrete other neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and nor epinephrine, which are responsible for the general felling of 'wellness'.

When I was in University I was understandably under stress with term paper deadlines and exams.  The only thing that kept me sane was to take an aerobic class every lunch hour at the gym.  It refreshed my mind and put things in perspective.  When you think hard, the neurons of your brain function more intensely.  As they do this, they can build up toxic waste products that can cause foggy thinking.  By exercising, you speed up the flow of blood through your brain, moving waste products faster.  It has been proven that fit people can handle long term stress without experiencing burnout.

Stress in life is inevitable but one can lessen the burden through regular exercise, so take the time to de-stress.

PERSONAL NOTE:  Unfortunately, this will be my last article due to family and business priorities.  I would like to thank all my faithful readers along with Women Alive for allowing me the opportunity to express my passion for fitness.  My final fitness inspiration:  You can own so many possessions and achieve so many accomplishments but without your health, what is it all worth?  So take the time to prioritize.  Take the time to 'smile and keep fit!'  God bless.   Janice Burdon

Editor's Note:  Watch for our new feature on nutrition and fitness!

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Janice Burdon is a Can-Fit and McGill Certified fitness instructor
For questions and comments, or additional information, please contact Janice at burdon4souls@nexusisp.com