The 5 Best Workouts for Relieving Stress

As you may know, moving your body and getting exercise when you have stress can 
really help relieve that stress. Exercise helps in a variety of ways, including helping you 
release endorphins to feel happier, as well as providing a good distraction during your 
workouts.

While you can definitely do any type of workout for stress, these are some of the best 
ones for your mental health and wellbeing. 


Yoga

It should come as no surprise that yoga is on the list! There are even yoga poses 
dedicated to reducing stress and helping with anxiety. Yoga is a mind-body practice that 
combines physical movements, breath control, and mindfulness. It has been shown to 
effectively reduce stress and anxiety by promoting relaxation, improving flexibility, and 
enhancing mental focus. Yoga also incorporates meditation and mindfulness techniques 
that can help to calm the mind and promote a sense of peace and well-being.


Strength Training

Strength training exercises, such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises, can also be 
effective in reducing stress. These exercises engage different muscle groups, providing 
a physical outlet for releasing tension and frustration. Strength training also helps to 
improve self-confidence and boost mood, which can contribute to stress reduction.

This might be one of the more surprising ones, but strength training has a way of 
making you feel strong and powerful, and boosting your mood shortly after your workout 
is complete. It’s hard to beat that feeling, and helps so much with stress relief.


Tai Chi

For a gentle, calming, and relaxing workout, why not try Tai Chi? Tai Chi is a style of 
exercise that uses calm, slow movements that work in flows. It is similar to yoga, except 
it is all done while in standing poses. It helps a lot with stress relief, relaxation, and 
reducing your anxiety. Many people often do Tai Chi to help with depression.

This is an amazing alternative to gentle workouts like yoga or Pilates, where it gets you 
standing up to do these flowing movements, as opposed to yoga where much of it is 
down on a mat. 


Dance

Dancing is a fun and enjoyable way to relieve stress and improve mood. Whether it's 
dancing in a dance class, at home, or even just moving to your favorite tunes, dancing 
can be a great stress-relieving workout. It releases endorphins, improves cardiovascular 
health, and helps to release tension from the body.

Plus, listening to music while you dance adds another layer of stress relief for you. 
Experiment with different types of music genres and forms of dance to see which ones 
help the best with your stress.


Outdoor Activities

Spending time in nature and engaging in outdoor activities can also be beneficial for 
stress reduction. Activities such as hiking, gardening, or even just taking a walk in the 
park can help to lower stress levels, improve mood, and increase overall well-being. 
The fresh air, sunshine, and connection with nature can help to reduce stress and 
promote a sense of calm.



