Sweating and Stress Management

19th April, 2010 - Posted by L. John Mason -

Hey, startling new research (the media might claim), physical exercise can reduce unhealthy levels of stress. Since I began my private practice in 1977, I have told people that exercise is one of the pillars of health and stress management. Since most of us hold some of our stress in excessive tension in our muscles, we can benefit from releasing this tension through, gentle movement and stretching, like yoga, and also through more vigorous activity including aerobic exercising. Working the muscle groups that can habitually hold tension can help to work off this excess energy and so relax the muscle. This really isn’t “rocket science” or dramatically new information. In 1932, Edmund Jacobson developed a type of relaxation that was named Jacobson’s progressive relaxation which is still used by many people today, whether they know it or not. Jacobson was quoted as saying, “there is no place for a tense mind in a relaxed body.” He figured out that by relaxing the muscles of the body, the mind would have less unconscious distraction from muscle tension and would also relax. His form of relaxation involves tightening and then releasing various major muscle groups. This promotes awareness (also known as mindfulness) of muscle tension and then encourages the process of “releasing” the energy of tension.

Yoga which has thousands of years of history and success promotes mindfulness through gentle stretching and breathing which allows for the release of muscle tension. Yoga can be a type of meditation which provides the necessary connection of the mind with the body and moves the practionner to self-awarenss and relaxation.

More active exercise activities like walking, jogging, running, swimming, cycling, “aerobics,” jumping rope, and many active sporting activities can also help to work out the muscle groups that can hold tension. When done correctly, these exercises can be very relaxing. In sporting activities certain competitive expectations can get in the way of mental relaxation, but exercising muscles can be very useful for releasing unwanted muscle tension. I counsel my clients that physical exercise is not enough to get complete stress management benefits. Mental or emotional tensions may not necessarily be relieved and it may require additional skills that can be derived from biofeedback, guided relaxation training, or meditation.

Your body also can benefit from activity including: burning calories, exercising your heart, improving circulation, and developing better respiration. If you have not exercised regualrly for awhile, I would encourage you to be checked by your physician prior to starting up a significant exercise regimen, just for safety sake. But, working up a sweat on a regular basis will be good for both your body and your mind. Remember to start slowly and gradually work your way into active exercise, because if you get hurt, or too sore, you will consider discontinuing your regular exercise, which would be a mistake.

Remember to stay within your breath and you will enjoy this more and be able to exercise longer. Try treating every exercise period as if you were engaged in a Zen meditation as you keep your eyes open but slowly disengage your mind from stressful thoughts or memories (focus on your breath and staying in the moment.)