It’s been suggested to me that exercising will help my stress level – very high stress job.

Do you agree and what methods of exercise would work best?

Absolutely! One of the most significant benefits of exercise is an outlet for frustrations and therefore, a reduction in stress levels. This happens for many reasons.

• Exercise gives your mood a natural boost because it decreases stress hormones and increases endorphins.
• Exercise takes your mind off your problems, redirecting it to a different task.
• Exercise makes you feel better about yourself, giving you confidence to handle stressful situations.
• Exercise improves your overall health both in the short-term (increasing your immunity to fight off colds and flu) and in the long-term (increased longevity and “feeling younger”).
• And, most importantly, exercise lowers physiological reactivity toward stress.

Simply put, exercise not only helps you deal with your current stress, it supplies immunity toward future stress. Now that’s a great reason to exercise! I recommend a combination of both cardiovascular exercise (exercise that increases your heart rate) and weight training exercise (exercise that tones and defines your muscles) as a means of reducing stress.