The results of stress reach far beyond making you feel anxious. You’re probably aware of many of its side effects, including insomnia, fatigue, back and neck pain, forgetfulness, and mood swings, but did you know that stress is also linked to depression, heart attacks, hypertension, decreased immunity, and skin and gastrointestinal problems? For the sake of your short-term and long-term health, it’s important to keep your stress level to a minimum. Fortunately, stressing less can be as easy as moving more.

Rev Up Your Routine

Exercise offers benefits for the body and the mind. In addition to preventing disease and building muscle, regular exercise actually decreases the production of stress hormones and counteracts the body’s natural stress response. Exercise effectively busts stress in a variety of ways.

• Exercise eases anxiety. Physical activity stimulates the production of endorphins, also known as the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. Sometimes called a runner’s high or postexercise euphoria, this burst of endorphins helps improve your mood and leave you relaxed. Just one exercise session generates 90 to 120 minutes of a relaxation response.

• Exercise is a form of meditation. After a dozen laps in the pool or 30 minutes of running on the treadmill, you often find that you’ve forgotten the troubles of the day. By concentrating on your body’s movements or focusing on a single task, it’s easy to unwind and shed your tension. It may be calming to exercise outdoors—natural surroundings trigger a relaxation response. Also, real light can have a positive effect on mood.

• Exercise can make you feel better about yourself. Working out regularly boosts selfconfidence and eases symptoms of anxiety. The increased feelings of control and selfworth can do wonders for reducing stress.

A workout that works

It’s crucial to set aside some time for physical activity. Whether it’s going to the gym or taking a hike through the woods, any amount of exercise can help you manage stress. It’s easy to use the cold weather or rain as an excuse to skip your workout, but a walk around the block or even stacking wood will get those endorphins pumping. Just be sure to dress in layers and keep your head, feet, and hands warm.

If you’d rather stay indoors where it’s cozy, visit your local gym, practice yoga, or try walking laps around the mall. (An added bonus? You may even get some holiday shopping done early—nipping a big stressor in the bud!) Whatever physical activity you choose, find something that works for you and that you’ll stick with. As life gets busier, it becomes more important than ever to get moving and get stress under control.