Exercise is not a word that comes to mind when you think about resting, relaxing and relieving the stress of a long day. After all, the words “rest and relaxation” usually bring up images of a spa or sunny beach. However, exercise is actually one of the best ways for you to destress after a long day. If you’re uninspired by the thought of exercise, here is a selection of the many different exercises you can do.
Breathing exercises
Yoga is known to have quite a few benefits, such as improving blood circulation, reducing back pain, and even improving posture. It is also accessible to people of all ages. At a higher level, yoga can be quite difficult with all of the strenuous stretches and poses. Fortunately, breathing exercises are an easy form of yoga, and are a quick way to relax and relieve stress. Here is a guideline for an easy breathing exercise you can do throughout the day.
- Find a comfortable place to sit.
- Close your eyes and breathe in deeply and slowly.
- Hold your breath for a brief time.
- Exhale slowly. Thinking words like “relax” while doing this can also help you relax faster.
- Repeat 5-10 times, being sure to be consistent with your breathing.
What great about this exercise is that it can be done anywhere, anytime, and can be your emergency go-to exercise when you really need to relax and relieve stress.
Aerobic exercises
Aerobic exercises are unlikely to be make you think of relaxation, yet in truth, they can help you to relax and relieve your stress. At first, aerobic exercises will be a lot of work, but the benefits in the long term will be more than worth it.
There are also multiple benefits for your body. Aerobic exercises are known to help increase your muscle and bone health. You will also see an increase in your overall fitness and stamina which, while slow at first, will become more obvious over time.
There are also the social and emotional benefits to aerobic exercise. Exercising with others is known to help to relieve anxiety and depression and generally make you feel better as a whole.
Mental exercises
Your mind is just as important as your body, and is often the reason why you’re not feeling relaxed or are feeling stressed. Fortunately, there are a number of different exercises that can help in a number of brain function areas, including improving your memory and your senses. There are also helpful apps, such as Lumosity, that can improve your memory in an enjoyable way.
These exercises are easy to do and appeal to everyone because they are all about personal choice. Joining a club, picking up a new hobby, or learning to cook a new dish are all mental exercises that can help you relax and destress, and can also ensure you benefit from the social and emotional aspects of exercise.
