If someone is feeling quite stressed out or anxious about something, should they use this to quickly reduce their stress or anxiety?
Or should they use this instead?
Well, our preference, and the one that we teach at The Well Being, is to use the jump rope. That, or any other form of cardiovascular exercise that can quickly get the heart rate up, the blood pumping, and even gets the body sweating a bit.
We have tested this method on numerous occasions with clients of ours who are dealing with high levels of stress or anxiety during their session, and the success rate is actually pretty phenomenal. All we have them do is get on one of our treadmills, and push themselves walking or jogging, for 5 to 10 minutes. Afterwards, when they are finished, they come back into the office, sit back down, and are typically quite shocked at how quickly their stress or anxiety has dissipated.
The reason why it works so well has everything to do with our body's "Fight-or-Flight Response", which has been wired into our DNA since the beginning of humankind. Stressful or anxiety provoking situations we encounter in life can trigger this response. When we exercise during periods of high stress or anxiety, we are doing what our brain wants us to do in that moment, which is to run away from something threatening (aka "Flight"), or physically fight back against it. And, we are rewarded for doing so.
So, the next time you find yourself experiencing higher levels of stress or anxiety, give it a try! If you don't happen to have a treadmill 50 feet from your office door like we do here at The Well Being, or have a jump rope handy, figure out another way to move! Climb stairs, run in place, do jumping jacks, high knees; anything that will get your heart rate up and your blood pumping. We think you'll be quite surprised at the results!
As always, we recommend individuals who haven't exercised in a while consult their physician before they engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
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