April is Stress Awareness Month, and to celebrate, we’re exploring ways to reduce our stress and cortisol levels, starting with helping you establish healthier habits and ways to work out that also reduce your stress levels. Although exercising is a natural mood booster and stress reliever, there are specific workouts you can do to help limit anxiety and stress. To learn more about them, we’ve tapped personal trainer and lifestyle expert Brittany Flippen to share some of her favorite exercises with us below.
Strength training: My top go-to is any form of “Strength training.” Strength training helps you focus and channel your stress. Deadlifting, in particular, is an empowering exercise that can help relieve stress. Some examples include using body weight, as well as free weights (which usually include dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells), and more. Some typical exercises include squats, push-ups, lunges, pull-ups, deadlifts, and bicep curls.
- Stretching: Release muscle tension caused by stress. The butterfly stretch helps relieve stress in your legs, hips, and lower back. Here are some additional stretches that inspire rest.
- Cat cow: On all fours, breathe in as you drop your belly and gaze up; breathe out as you round your spine and bring your chin to your chest.
- Seated Spinal Twist: Sit upright in a chair with your back straight, your feet flat on the floor, and your chest pointed out.
- Downward Dog Position: Start in a downward dog position. Draw your right knee in toward your wrist, then gently place your right shin on the floor.
Walking: It’s time to get outside, sis, to do some power walking! Walking or any other form of cardio clears your mind and reduces stress hormones, such as cortisol. Jumping rope in particular, improves your circulation and focus.
Meditation: Meditation trains your mind and body to relax. If you combine meditating with a breathing technique, this is an exercise that’s not physical but does the same as stretching.
Dancing: To boost your mood and endorphins, dancing is a great exercise. I’m sure if you started twerking or line dancing to “Boots on the Ground,” you’ll be in a slightly better mood.
Yoga: Yoga is also a great stress reliever, especially for those with anxiety. The Cat-Cow pose is excellent for relieving stress in your back and spine area.
