Are you choosing the right type of exercise for your stress?

The most common advice you will get to manage everyday stress is to keep up your levels of exercise. I have found that during times when I know I am under more stress than normal, I will make sure that, at the very least, I stay committed to my exercise routine and that will be a positive stress release.

But here's what I didn't know. The type of exercise you choose to do can actually increase your stress levels and have the opposite effect! For example, if you choose to take on an activity that is high energy, such as an 8km run, if you run it hard you are actually increasing your levels of the hormone cortisol (the 'stress' hormone). This actually adds to your already 'stressed' state. In other words, whilst you may feel better for the run, your stress levels have actually increased. Same goes if you choose to do a high energy class at gym, e.g Body Pump or Body Step etc... More high energy activity increases the stress levels on your body. 

The recommendation is to mix in to your weekly exercise routine some low impact, stretching classes such as Pilates, Yoga or Body Balance and give your muscles a chance to unwind, stretch out and de-stress. These types of exercises also lower the levels of cortisol and that's when exercise is having a truly positive effect. 

The key is to make sure you have a bit of everything in there and then your body will thank you.