Whether you’re walking, riding a bike or cleaning your house – any type of exercise reduces stress levels.
Let’s face it, times are tough, stressful and sometimes there’s those days where everything falls on right on top of you. Well… recently I had one of those days and I knew it was time to take a break for myself. I started by running over 30 
minutes on my treadmill. During the 30 minutes I went through an entire sprint interval routine. When I got done my entire mood had shifted to positive and I felt rejuvenated! I was thinking to myself, “why not do this every time you’re feeling stressed?”
Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your steps every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.
- Your endorphins are happy - Physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling.
- It’s meditation in movement - After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you’ll often find that you’ve forgotten the day’s dilemmas and irritations and concentrated only on your body’s movements. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything that you do.
- Your mood turns from negative to positive - Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. This can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.
So the next time you’re feeling stressed give exercising a shot. You might be surprised to find that running on a treadmill for 20 minutes can turn your mood completely around 
