Who doesn’t have too much stress? We’re all pummeled by the stuff on a daily basis. Stress is a normal, healthy response when you’re in danger. Unfortunately, the body relies on the brain to tell it when there’s danger, and the brain doesn’t distinguish well between “Oh, no, a building’s about to fall on my head!” and “Oh, no, I’m not going to meet that deadline at work!” In either situation, your body releases enough adrenaline to help you run very fast from trouble. But what happens when you don’t work the adrenaline off? It stays in your system.
And when this happens frequently, or when you’re experiencing constant low-grade stress, it causes problems like high blood pressure and anxiety.
Combating stress with strength training
One way to combat stress is by weight lifting or strength training. Exercise of any kind works unused adrenaline through your system, which will in turn allow you to sleep better and feel less agitated. Additionally, strength training raises your endorphin levels in the brain – the “natural high” serious exercisers talk about. This high may only temporarily relieve stress each time it occurs, but over time, experiencing those highs leads to a more positive, upbeat outlook which combats the agitated negativity of stress.
Weightlifting can also build confidence. Even if you’re already reasonably confident, there is just something about feeling physically strong that makes you feel safer in a world that’s sometimes hostile. It gives you a much-needed dose of perspective, which helps your brain distinguish better between real emergencies and missed deadlines, thus reducing the number of times you have an unnecessary adrenaline response. This in turn reduces stress.
Filed in Strength Training
Updated: September 6, 2011
Copyright: September 27, 2010
