Health Hints:

Reducing Stress Through Exercise

Brennan Phelan, Staff Reporter

Brennan_Phelan@csumb.edu

May 1, 2008

With finals fast approaching and

projects and papers piling up

stress can become overwhelming

for students during the end of

the year. Students are often faced

with daily stressors that, in some

cases, can lead to feelings of

anxiety and depression. Studies

have found that regular exercise

helps to manage stress and has

positive effects on mental health

and happiness.

Exercise benefits our physical

wellness by regulating blood

sugar, lowering blood pressure,

improving balance and endurance,

and maintaining heart health.

Research is now showing that

regular exercise also promotes a

healthy mind.

Lynne White-Dixon of the

Personal Growth and Counseling

Center (PGCC) pointed to stress,

depression and anxiety as some

of the most common reasons that

students seek counseling. The

counselors at the PGCC help

students develop coping skills,

often recommending physical

activity to help with symptoms.

According to the American

Psychological Association

(APA), “exercise may improve

mental health by helping the

brain cope better with stress.”

The report went on to explain that

“exercise thwarts depression and

anxiety by enhancing the body’s

ability to respond to stress.”

Students may feel that they

do not have time to exercise,

especially during this busy time

of year. The good news is that

moderately intense physical

activity done just a few times a

week can significantly improve

stress levels and manage

symptoms of depression and

anxiety. A report published by

researchers at Duke University

found that “a brisk 30-minute

walk or jog three times a week

may be just as effective in

relieving major depression as are

standard antidepressant drugs.”

Weight training has also been

reported to have depression

relieving effects, similar to

the effects of cardiovascular

exercise. A scientific study

published in “The Journals of

Gerontology” found that high

intensity resistance training

was more effective in relieving

symptoms of depression than

was low intensity training or

general practitioner care for

the tested group of older adult

depressed patients.

Students often endure a great

deal of stress. It is important

to find ways to manage those

feelings of stress so that they

do not become overwhelming.

A regular exercise program

consisting of 30 minute bouts

of moderate intensity aerobic

exercise, combined with a couple

days a week of strength training

can be an effective way of

managing stress and clearing the

mind. Simply taking an exercise

class, a walk along the beach, or

a bike ride around campus can be

a great place to start.