Thursday, December 18, 2008

Choose This Simple Activity And Reduce Stress

By Don Raemond

Yes, I know exercise is not the an exciting subject to talk about. But it will help you reduce stress, which will improve your sense of well being and lead to a more enjoyable life. If you have avoided exercising, just getting started is the most difficult part.

Reducing stress is a good reason to get the ball rolling. Think about how often you've heard someone say about an ailment, "it's just stress related". People have a tendency to laugh stress off, but the truth is, too much stress in your life can lead to illness and disease. So an exercise program to reduce stress should be one of THE most important priorities in your life.

Exercise will help strengthen your immune system and bring your stress level down. Even simple activities like stretching, walking, jogging or hiking will strengthen your heart, lungs and muscles and increase your endurance.

Walking might be easiest exercise choice for most of us. You don't need a membership and you can do it in a short period of time. Walking can be a lot of fun, especially if you have a partner to go on walks with you. You can enjoy some good conversation while you walk. Doing it with a friend will make walking something you'll look forward to doing.

Increase the intensity of your walks to enhance the health benefits. Walk a little faster and increase the distance each week. Walking is the best activity for your health if you do it the right way. So make sure you push yourself and maintain your target heart rate for at least 20 minutes. If you don't have a clue what your target heart rate is, you can easily find out online. Purchase a heart rate monitor if you don't have already own one.

Make sure to do some basic stretching before you walk for the purpose of loosening up the muscles in your neck, shoulders and legs. Doing so will start the blood flowing and help to prevent unwanted injuries.

There are a variety of activities that you could choose that will help reduce stress in your life. But walking is easy and inexpensive. It's an activity that allows you to get your workout in fast, and that's important if you are on a tight schedule. You can do your stretches and your walk, in as little as 30-35 minutes. Surely you can find a half an hour a day for something that will make you healthier.

If you have one of those days where you just can't find 30 spare minutes, go for a shorter walk, just stick with it because the combination of exercise and social interaction will reduce stress in your life. My advice is to go get a pair of comfortable shoes and a heart monitor, and start walking on a regular basis. It will reduce stress and make you feel great too. - 16463

About the Author: