Management<\/a> Shannon Taylor, who teamed up with researchers from Illinois and Wisconsin universities for a recent study. \u201cIf [employees have] been belittled or insulted by a supervisor, they tend to vent their frustration on members of their household. Our study shows that happens because they\u2019re too tired to regulate their behavior.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nWhile it can be difficult to control your boss\u2019s behavior, the study found that walking more than 10,000 steps a day or swimming for an hour can help you leave stress behind \u2014 rather than take it out on your family.<\/span><\/p>\nHere\u2019s how: Exercise reduces stress and improves physiological health by triggering antidepressant hormones and increasing endorphin secretion, Taylor says. These bodily changes cause elevated moods and help to reduce negative thoughts, which can help you have more positive experiences at work and home.<\/span><\/p>\nExercise also considerably reduces sleep difficulties, as the study results showed that people who engage in 150 minutes of physical activity on a weekly basis can improve their sleep quality by 65 percent.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
To maximize exercise\u2019s ability to reduce stress, Taylor recommends burning at least 600 calories a day through physical activity.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n[divider][\/divider]<\/p>\n
\u201cThe findings are particularly compelling given recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Heart Association to walk between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day,\u201d Taylor says. \u201cI also think the study gives us a new perspective on the importance of getting an adequate amount of sleep and exercise. It\u2019s not just good for you, it\u2019s good for your spouse too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nBased on his findings, we asked Taylor for five tips to make exercise part of your daily routine.<\/span><\/p>\n[callout content_align=”left” background=”#f4f7fc”]<\/p>\n
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Make Physical Activity a Priority<\/span><\/h2>\nWhen facing major deadlines and overwhelming to-do lists, exercise is often one of the first activities we choose to skip. The most important strategy to reduce stress, however, is to make exercise a consistent, integrated habit in your life, not just an activity you do from time to time. To maximize exercise\u2019s ability to reduce stress, Taylor recommends burning at least 600 calories a day through physical activity.\u201cOur workloads might be really heavy sometimes, but exercise can improve the quality of our life and extend our life spans.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Broaden Your Concept of Exercise<\/span><\/h2>\nExercise doesn\u2019t necessarily mean going to the gym and running on the treadmill or lifting weights. Any activity that requires physical effort can make a difference in improving your health and reducing stress. Some household chores, like cleaning or putting away groceries, require the same amount of effort as moderate-intensity exercise.\u201cYou don\u2019t have to run a marathon to make a difference. Everyday activities like gardening, pushing a lawnmower or fishing all count.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Experiment with New Exercises<\/span><\/h2>\nWhether you\u2019re new to working out or have been doing it for years, there\u2019s a big benefit to trying new forms of exercise. Experimenting with workouts helps keep you interested and active.\u201cOverall, if you\u2019re just kind of feeling blah, if you\u2019re not feeling like working out today or this week, try something else.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Enlist Others for Collaborative Workouts<\/span><\/h2>\nHaving a workout partner helps in boosting performance, motivation and commitment to exercise. However, you should choose activities that require you to work with others, rather than competing against or comparing your performance against theirs. \u201cWe\u2019re far more likely to stick with an exercise regimen when other people depend on our participation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Enjoy your Activity<\/span><\/h2>\nWhen using exercise to reduce stress, it\u2019s important to choose activities that you enjoy. However you choose to get active, it should be an outlet, not an obligation.\u201cJust do whatever you\u2019ll actually do because lots of research on motivation shows that we\u2019re more likely to stick with things when we find them enjoyable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[\/callout]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":13812,"template":"","categories":[],"tags":[324,410],"class_list":["post-13230","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-college-of-business","tag-health","issues-spring-2018"],"yoast_head":"\n
How Exercise Helps Save Relationships & Leaves Work Stress Behind<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n