What’s better for stress?

But how do you know which one is right for you? We’re here to help you find out.  

How to listen to your body 

When you’re stressed and overwhelmed, you may find it hard to work out what your body is telling you. And that can lead to yo-yoing back and forth about the best decision. How many times have you tried to weigh up whether going to the gym was the right thing for you? 

Listening to your body means paying attention to the physical signals that your body is giving you, as well as the emotional. But it’s also about remembering what your body needs. You might feel like you don’t want to move your body but remember that exercise is an important part of daily life to keep yourself as healthy as possible.  

Listening to your body is a form of self-care, where taking a rest or adapting your movement can be positive in the long-run even if it’s uncomfortable in the short term.  

When is movement the right answer? 

When it comes to stress, movement is quite often the right answer. You’ve probably heard of the endorphins, or ‘happy hormones’, that get released when you work out which help to lift your mood. That doesn’t mean you have to go hard and fast every time. You can also do something more gentle. 

Heading to the gym, even if it’s to walk on the treadmill or enjoy a few leisurely laps can also help to relieve stress by shifting your focus. Rather than thinking about the things you can’t change, you’re focused on completing the task in hand. Plus, you can also distract your mind with podcasts, music or your favourite TV show while you move. 

Movement is the right answer when you:  

• Feel unmotivated: it can help to give you some healthy distractions and boost the feel-good hormones in your brain

• Are struggling to get to sleep: exercise can improve the quality of your sleep over time  

• Need a confidence boost: doing something for yourself will boost your self-esteem 

• Haven’t moved in a while: if you’re feeling stiff and achy, exercise can help to bring fresh blood to the areas you feel sore as well as giving your brain something new to focus on  

When is rest the right answer? 

When you’re feeling physically fatigued, it’s easy to know that you need rest. But when your mind is feeling fatigued, you may find it difficult to tell what’s best.  

When you’ve been quite sleep deprived because of stress, rest is often the right answer. You might find it easier to incorporate a little gentle movement, like yoga or a Sound Bath class, to help your body and mind wind down ready for sleep. Something like a gentle and mindful walk can also help you get ready for some Z’s.  

‘Deep rest’ is also important for helping to relieve stress. It’s a state of relaxation that helps you destress, unwind and calm down. When you’re in a state of deep rest, your body can repair and recharge itself as well as generate new cells. But it doesn’t always have to be through the physical act of sleeping. You can enter a deep rest state with activities like meditation. Deep rest might be good for you if you’ve already tried movement but don’t feel any better.  

Rest might be the right answer for you if:  

• You’ve been missing out on sleep 

• You want to create a calm environment for your body to recharge itself 

Top tip: When it comes to stress, a little bit of something is often better than nothing. Even when you don’t feel like it but you think the fresh air or distraction would be helpful, set yourself a short time frame of 10 or 20 minutes for some stretching or light movement. And you can also increase it if you start to feel better.