Friday, 3rd November 2017
We know that stress can play a large part in everyday lives. Whether it’s work-related or personal, stress can affect anyone and everyone.
In its simplest form, stress is a physical response to your body feeling under ‘attack’ and switching to ‘fight or flight’ mode. This releases a mixture of hormones and chemicals, such as adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine, to prepare the body for action.
This release of chemicals can make us feel agitated and aggressive, or give us a feeling of being unable to ‘think straight’.
Being kept in a state of stress for too long can have a detrimental effect on our health and well-being. However, any form of exercise can help combat stress relief.
When carrying out exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins that trigger positive feelings in the body (the ‘feel-good’ factor), and it’s these chemicals that reduce stress hormone levels.
Depending on your body (it can take longer for some than others), after approximately 30 minutes of intense activity, the body will release endorphins to help you feel better. We would recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate-intense cardio 5 times a week.