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.
