Exercise isn’t just a great way to strengthen your body. It’s also a highly effective way to reduce stress. Exercising for 20 to 30 minutes daily can improve your mood and promote relaxation. It helps lower stress hormones, boost endorphin production, and improve overall well-being. Are you looking for some great stress-busting exercise options? Take a look at some of these top choices for stress-reducing exercises and consider how you can add them to your routine. Don’t forget to try something new and have fun! When you find an exercise routine you enjoy, you’re more likely to incorporate it into your everyday routine.
1. Walking and Jogging
Walking and jogging are some of the easiest and most common forms of exercise. No equipment is required, and you can do them from anywhere! These rhythmic, repetitive activities can help clear the mind and reduce stress. They use large muscle groups and, due to their calming effects, can be considered “muscular meditation.” Walking and jogging are easy to add to your daily routine, whether you want to head outside or hop on a treadmill. Need a good warm-up to get you started? Try our Walking Warm-Up straight from the app!
2. Yoga
Yoga combines physical postures, deep breathing, and meditation to strengthen the body’s relaxation response. It is particularly effective for stress relief, especially when practiced in a gentle form. Yoga can easily be modified to fit your specific needs. While a yoga mat can be helpful for softening the floor, you don’t need any equipment to get started. All you need is a patch of floor space to enjoy all the benefits of yoga. Ease into it slowly with our Yoga for Beginners.
3. Tai Chi
This mind-body practice involves slow, flowing movements and focused breathing, making it an excellent choice for stress reduction. Tai Chi can also improve overall health and well-being. It is a very gentle form of movement and exercise, which creates less strain on the body than other types of exercise. Furthermore, like walking and yoga, Tai Chi does not require equipment.
4. Pilates
Pilates involves controlled movements and exercises that build strength, flexibility, and endurance. It is an effective stress reliever and can be practiced at home or in a studio. Pilates can create greater overall mind/body awareness and help you get stronger over time, especially starting with our Power Pilates workout.
5. Dancing
Dancing is a fun way to relieve stress, as it combines physical activity with music and rhythm. It can be done alone or in a group, providing both physical and social benefits. If you’re interested in adding dance to your daily activities, just turn up the music and enjoy! You can try out structured movements and workouts or just move your body to your favorite tunes.
6. Swimming and Water Aerobics
These activities are gentle on the joints and provide a full-body workout, making them ideal for stress relief. The water’s buoyancy can also have a calming effect. You don’t need a large pool to enjoy water aerobics. Many gyms have indoor pools or therapy pools that are warmed and accessible year-round.
7. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest periods can effectively reduce stress while improving cardiovascular health. HIIT training is typically geared toward building stress and endurance. Over time, you’ll find that you can increase repetitions and increase the effectiveness of your workout. Choose from a variety of HIIT workouts from our Cardio Collection.
8. Team Sports
Participating in sports like tennis, basketball, or soccer provides both physical exercise and social interaction, which can enhance stress relief. Many people find that participating in team sports builds a sense of community and cooperation that can help ward off depression and other seasonal challenges.
9. Breathing Exercises
Incorporating deep breathing into any exercise routine can enhance its stress-reducing effects by promoting relaxation and mental clarity. Try starting your exercise routine with deep breathing from our Mindfulness + Meditation Collection to enhance focus and center yourself on the exercise, or end with those routines to help you calm down after your workout.
Find the Stress-Reducing Exercise Routine for You
Many types of exercise can help you move your body and take advantage of those stress-busting results. At Sworkit, we offer a variety of exercise types so that you can put together the right routine for your specific needs and desires. Don’t forget to have fun! When you find an exercise routine you enjoy, you’ll be more likely to fit it into your regular routine, allowing you to continue to enjoy those stress-reducing benefits.
Comment section