Exercise can help relieve stress, tension, and anxiety. Expelling negative emotions and adrenaline through physical activity helps you enter a more relaxed, calm state of mind.

Call it one of the best two-for-ones around: The same regular exercise routine that helps prevent disease and build muscle also can help you better manage stress.

“That’s because virtually any form of exercise can decrease the production of stress hormones and counteract your body’s natural stress response,” says Gerald Endress, fitness director of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C.

Sounds good, but exactly how does it work?

For starters, “exercise releases chemicals called endorphins into your bloodstream,” Endress explains. “These hormones give you a feeling of happiness and positively affect your overall sense of well-being.”

In addition, when you’re under duress, your brain functions intensely, building up toxic waste products. When you exercise, the flow of blood through your brain speeds up and removes these waste products, helping you solve problems more efficiently.

Exercise also provides a positive outlet for negative emotions, such as frustration and anger, thereby promoting a better mood and outlook, which can help you manage stress.

Some studies also have found exercise can have a preventive effect when it comes to stress. Specifically, fit people have less extreme responses to pressure than those who are less fit.

Moving Decisions
If you’re new to exercise and aren’t sure where to start, asking yourself the following questions can help you narrow down your options.

• Which would I find more enjoyable, a group exercise class or getting out on my own?

  If you’re someone who has to make decisions all day at work, you may prefer to join an exercise class in which you can follow along with an instructor who decides which exercises to do, and for how long.

  On the other hand, if you work with people all day, you may find it more relaxing to get outside by yourself and take a brisk walk.

• Would I benefit from active exercise or something more internalized, such as yoga, tai chi, or Pilates? Again, depending on the day and the way your life is going, active or passive pursuits may be more beneficial.
• What’s the best time for me to exercise? If your life is hectic, finding an hour to do a formal workout may be tough.

Fortunately, you don’t have to carve a chunk of time out of an already-packed schedule to gain stress-reducing benefits from exercise.

That’s because recent studies have found similar benefits from, say, walking for a half-hour or taking three 10-minute walks.

Enough Is Enough
Keeping the intensity, duration, and challenge of your workout balanced is key to ensuring your exercise regimen doesn’t end up adding to your stress.

Clues that this could be occurring include feeling stressed because your workout has become one more thing you don’t have time for; or feeling worn out or sore from your exercise routine.

Doing too much too soon or overtraining at any level is counterproductive because you need rest days to recover physically and mentally.

Finding an activity you enjoy— whether it’s a step class or walking your dog—and making it part of your regular routine can help you unwind.

“Quite simply, physical exercise is the best tension reliever around,” says Endress. “Problems always seem less important when you’re walking, swimming, running, or cycling, or are involved in any physical pursuit.”

Barbara Floria spoke with Gerald Endress, fitness director of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, N.C. For more information, visit www.dukehealth.org/Services/DietAndFitness.

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