How Working Out Can Help Reduce Stress At School | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Fitness

If You're Feeling Extra Stressed This Finals Season, A Good Workout Might Be What You Need

When you workout, your body releases endorphins, which are chemicals in your brain that act as painkillers.

151
Woman doing sit ups

It's a proven fact that working out relieves stress. A good workout can make you not only feel better about yourself, but it actually makes you less stressed. I notice that the days I workout are the days that I feel the best. Not only does my body feel better, but my mentality is even different. Rather than being consumed in stress, I'm more relaxed and ready to take the day as it comes. Everyone should feel like this every day, so maybe working out is the answer to your problems.

Obviously working out is not going to make your assignments disappear, but it will for sure help you conquer those assignments. Working out does a lot more than get you in shape. When you workout, your body releases endorphins, which are chemicals in your brain that act as painkillers. So, basically, working out is like natural medication for anxiety/stress relief. A good workout can easily be equated to meditation. Although you're actively moving your body and not relaxing at all when you workout, the endorphins relax your brain and improve your mood which is the perfect recipe for knocking out those final projects. Working out also gives you more energy throughout the way. If you're a morning person, waking up and starting your day with a workout is a good way to kick start your body and set a good tone for the rest of your day. Although you may feel physically tired after a workout, your body will thank you as you'll feel more energized and ultimately be more productive throughout the day.

Another HUGE perk to adding a workout to your daily routine is that by the end of the day you will be exhausted, making it easier for you to fall asleep and even get better sleep. How does that work? Well, let's say you don't work out on a normal day. As a college student, we go to back to back classes, spend hours doing homework, and stress a lot about our grades, so it's safe to say you use a lot of brain power. However, when you add a workout into your schedule, your entire body, not just your brain will need rest. So, this will result in you getting better sleep, which also affects your mood and productivity throughout the day.

The hardest part about working out is getting yourself in the gym. Once you're there, it's easy. Even if you're not much of a gym person, just going to the gym and going for a jog or maybe even just stretching, anything to move your body will help. After you make working out a part of your day, it'll be hard to stop. In fact, your body will even want a workout. You'll realize how much better you feel after a workout and then you're going to want to continue to do it. No one ever said you had to go to the gym and do a killer workout every day. Just getting to the gym and moving your body is enough to decrease your stress and anxiety. Not to mention, the rec centers at your college are free. Okay, well not free, but you've already paid for it in your tuition, so you might as well use it right?

So, as finals season approaches for us college kids, the stress will definitely be persistent. So, do yourself a favor and get a workout in. Your body and your mind will thank you.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

3963
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

450313
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22135
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

45056
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments