How does exercise reduce stress?
And, does it help modern man negate the effects of ongoing low level stress that is so damaging to our health? First, we should understand that stress, especially in the modern world, is not always proportional to the situation we find ourselves in. It is more to do with our own unique response to a situation than the situation itself. For one person an extremely stressful situation might be a walk in the park for another. So, when we talk about stress we should think in terms of what it means to us. When we are put in a stressful situation a number of things happen. The adrenal glands pump adrenaline into the body and both our heart rate and blood pressure increases. The stress hormone cortisol is released and both sugar and fat are sent into the bloodstream to provide fuel for the muscles and mind. We are in a heightened state of alertness and ready for a “fight or flight” response. Early man, would have reacted by fighting or fleeing but today situations arise where neither response
