Are you feeling stressed this holiday season?  You’re not the only one; the holidays can be tough with gifts, budget, time and guests. How do you deal with it? Do you get a massage, go for a walk or maybe you hit the gym? There are many ways that exercising can help relieve the holiday tension.

Your Body Systems will Work Together – When you’re stressed your various body systems (cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, muscular, etc.), need to work together for you to respond well to stress. Exercising forces the systems to work efficiently together. When you’re working on all cylinders, you’ll feel less tense and be a more efficient, more effective version of yourself.

You’ll Feel Happier – When you exercise your body releases natural painkillers. These chemicals give you a natural feeling of happiness. Burning off your stress through a good workout will have you feeling happier.

Socializing – If you hit the gym, you will most likely socialize with others, especially if you’re in a small group session or with a trainer. Working out with different people will help lighten your mood and make you happier. It will help you forget about what’s bothering for you.

You’ll Sleep Better – The holidays are a hectic time when it comes to schedules. Your calendar fills up fast with visitors, holiday parties and family obligations — and that’s on top of work. Busy schedules can lead to a lack of sleep which leads to more stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety lead to less sleep; it’s a vicious cycle. By hitting the gym for regular workouts, your body will break that cycle and help engage a positive cycle. This will help you sleep better and be less stressed.

The holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year. Don’t let stress overcome the season, make a commitment to still take care of yourself.  Your body, mind and soul will thank you.

“Lenny Turi is a certified personal trainer and owner of Fitness Together in Waxhaw – FTwaxhaw.com”