Table of Contents
Lifestyle Changes
A healthy lifestyle is an essential companion to any stress-reduction program. People can enhance their general health and stress resistance by getting regular exercise, eating a diet rich in a variety of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and avoiding excessive alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco.
Exercise
Exercise in combination with stress management techniques is extremely important for many reasons:
- Exercise is an effective distraction from stressful events.
- Exercise may directly blunt the harmful effects of stress on blood pressure and the heart (exercise protects the heart).
Vary the exercise program, combining aerobic exercise with strength training. Start slowly. Strenuous exercise in people who are not used to it can be very dangerous. In addition, half of all people who begin a vigorous training program drop out within a year. Discuss any exercise program with a physician before starting. The key is to find activities that are exciting, challenging, and satisfying. The following are some suggestions:
- Aerobics classes at a gym
- Brisk walking (even short brisk walks can relieve bouts of stress)
- Swimming (an ideal exercise for many stressed people, including pregnant women, people with musculoskeletal problems, and those who have exercise-induced asthma)
- Yoga or Tai chi (these techniques combine many of the relaxation benefits of breathing, muscle relaxation, and meditation while toning and stretching the muscles)
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Review Date: 10/14/2010
Reviewed By: Reviewed by: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor
of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts
General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
