{"id":373,"date":"2011-10-13T09:40:43","date_gmt":"2011-10-13T14:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wholeperson.com\/wordpress\/?p=373"},"modified":"2011-10-13T09:40:43","modified_gmt":"2011-10-13T14:40:43","slug":"physical-stress-reduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wholeperson.com\/blog\/physical-stress-reduction","title":{"rendered":"Physical Stress Reduction"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/strong>Stress skills<\/a> are as varied as your stressors, but so far we\u2019ve only talked about mental ways to combat stress. What about physical symptoms of stress? Shouldn\u2019t they have physical stress skills to go with them? Yes! One of the key aspects of physical stress skills is exercise.<\/p>\n

Exercise skills are an important part of taking care of yourself. They increase your strength, stamina, and energy. Your body<\/a> works best when it is used regularly, just like a car. If it sits too long, it begins to rust. However, be sure you\u2019re willing to exercise consistently or you can do more harm than good. It\u2019s easy to get over-zealous and hurt yourself. Instead of starting off by running five miles, start with one and work your way up. If you feel exhausted an hour after exercising rather than energized, you\u2019re going too hard. Spend at least five to ten minutes warming up before you start and an equal amount cooling down afterwards. If you don\u2019t think regular exercise is something that you can schedule in, then at least try to stretch your muscles every day. If you need motivation, try exercising with a friend or two. If you use exercise as a de-stressor<\/a>, you may get more out of it if you do it alone to burn off some steam. If you\u2019re using it as an energizer, then spending time with friends will help.<\/p>\n