4 exercises to help you manage anxiety and stress

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Whether it’s your modern day life, work or a relationship, if you are in a situation where stress and anxiety are growing, the likelihood is it can start to affect your everyday life.

It can often slowly creep up on you, but as soon as you feel you’re becoming overwhelmed or anxious it can have an impact on your productivity in work or at home.

The pressure it puts on your mind and body can lead you feeling as though you can’t cope, and impact you greatly. 

Work and home life are often the root causes, which if left untreated increase your anxiety and stress.

Exercise is one of the best ways to manage your stress and anxiety. Exercise has proven benefits which help you manage your anxiety whilst helping you to become more productive in your daily and work lives.

Running is a great option to manage your anxiety, but there are many great alternatives if you don’t enjoy running. 

Take a look at four fantastic exercises, which can help combat stress, and help to prevent anxiety controlling your life. 

1. Boxing

Boxing is a great way for you to enjoy high-intensity exercise. It helps you to keep fit and fight anxiety, whilst offering a fantastic stress release. 

If you’ve had a bad day, your stress or anxiety is starting to build and you can’t seem to be productive boxing is a great form of exercise. It will help you to channel your emotions and release any build up tension or frustration you have in your body. Occasionally, it’s nice to channel your energy and imagine the cause of your frustration as the punching bag or boxing pads too! 

2. Tai chi

Tai chi focuses on improving your mind and body, and is one of the most relaxing forms of exercise. It allows you to recharge your batteries and connect with your mind. 

It helps you to induce calm and is an excellent way to help you to reduce stress, whilst helping to manage anxiety.

If you struggle to switch off; whether at home or find it difficult to complete work tasks, tai chi is a great way to relax. The movements of Tai chi incorporate meditation, which helps you to unwind and focus on yourself instead of thinking about difficult or stressful daily tasks.

3. Pilates

Pilates is one of the best ways to treat yourself and practice self-care. As well as focusing on a range of exercises to help you improve your core stability and fitness, Pilates also focuses on your mental well being.

It offers you a fantastic way to focus on improving your fitness and really concentrate on your mind and body. One of the most popular forms of meditation, it is a popular way for you to practice mindfulness and focus on reducing stress and anxiety.

4. Zumba

Intense music, high energy workouts and people to relax with Zumba is a fantastic way for you to release stress and manage your anxiety.

Zumba may involve a lot of hard work, but focusing your mind on the various moves will help to improve your creativity and productivity.

If you feel like you struggle to work alone, Zumba offers a class with people who have the same interests so you won’t feel alone.