Stress takes the joy out of life. A technicolor world becomes monochrome. It’s hard for attorneys with their daily stressors. As an attorney, I enjoyed law, but the stress that goes with the practice of law was a bear to live with. The law is a stressful profession.
What are the effects of stress on an attorney or anyone? The toll of chronic stress hits every part of an individual’s life. It impacts us in the following ways:
- Our Body – Suffering from Frequent colds or flu, headaches, trouble sleeping, muscle tension, skin problems, trouble with digestion;
- Our Mind – Not being able to concentrate, Forgetting Everything, learning problems, frequent negative thoughts, speech problems;
- Our Emotion – Anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, feelings of helplessness, lack of purpose, relationship troubles; and
- Our Behaviour – Eating poorly, driving recklessly, abusing alcohol or drugs, aggressive.
Every individual finds their own way to stress relief. Some forms of stress relief are constructive. Others are destructive. Today we’re going to look at exercise as a constructive form of stress relief. During my years of practicing law, one of the ways I learned to relieve stress was exercise.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of exercise as a Stress Reliever. First, almost any type of activity is a stress-reliever. You can do any type of aerobic exercise or yoga and get stress relief.
Physical Movement helps as a stress reliever by
- Pumping up your endorphins
- Improving Your Mood
- Removing Negative Thoughts
- Relaxing your Body and Mind, and
- Providing better Sleep
According to Harvard Health Publishing, regular physical exercise will lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol, reduce your blood sugar, and cut the risk of heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, depression, and dementia. Exercise also slows the aging process. There are so many benefits to exercise, and we have not hit on all of them.
If you’ve been putting off making exercise a regular form of stress relief, now is the time to make the change as we start to emerge from under the pandemic rules. It’s time.
Here is a list of exercises you might consider for stress relief. This list is taken from some internet health and relaxation sites. The list includes exercises that may be accomplished at home or at your office with only a mat as equipment. They are:
- Yoga – Yoga is a form of strength training making you more flexible. It also uses deep breathing, which triggers the body’s relaxation response.
- Tai Chi – Tai Chi is sometimes called “meditation in motion.” It is derived from Chinese martial art. It increases flexibility and improves feelings of well-being.
- Qigong – Like Tai Chi, Qigong involves slow, gentle movements. The movements in sync with the breath create a relaxation response.
- Walking – A regular practice of walking half an hour daily will result in reduced stress levels.
- Pilates – Pilates is known for reducing back and neck pain. It strengthens muscles and keeps your mind at the moment.
This is only a sample of exercises. Vigorous exercise may also be a stress reliever. You must find some exercises you enjoy and do them regularly. It’s not only good for your health, but it’s good for relieving stress.