Regardless of your life stage or what precautions you take, stress can pile up with an assortment of family, work, school, health and money issues.  That’s just life. Over the years, I’ve managed my stress through running, working out and, more recently, yoga. Exercise helps me take my mind off problems (most of which are out of my control anyway) and focus on living in the moment. Plus, the physical aspect of exercise creates endorphins and other happy hormones that help the brain and body cope better with stress. Research has shown that physically active people have lowered levels stress, anxiety and depression –even just a brisk 10 minute walk can alter your attitude.

Bloody knees after box jumping while grumpy and distracted.

So, while it is a GOOD THING to exercise in the name of stress management, there are certain things to look for and precautions to take to ensure that you remain safe and injury free.  The British Journal of Sports Medicine reported that elite athletes were more likely to get hurt if they competed while angry, confused, fatigued, tense, or depressed.  This translates to use everyday athletes as well – goodness knows I’ve been tired, used bad form, tripped and fallen resulting in tweaked muscles, bloody body parts, several bad cases of road burn, contusions,a concussion, gashes requiring stitches and just plain turning up sick a few days later.

Are you wondering why? Well, when cortisol levels are elevated for too long, putting you in a state of chronic stress, your muscles and immune system won’t function at their best. You also won’t sleep well, creating day-in and day-out fatigue that can negatively impact exercise and performance.  So, before I hit the trail or the gym, I like to get myself into a ready-to-workout mode with a bit of calming yoga, taking deep breaths, and engaging in a little positive visualization of how great my workout out or run will be.  I also make sure I’m eating well and getting as much quality sleep as I can – people who know me well are probably tsk-tsking right now, because sleeping is one of my biggest challenges

RESCUE Pastilles are another little trick I have in my tool kit for stress relief.  Completely natural and homeopathic, RESCUE Pastilles help me to stress less, stay calm and, ultimately, sleep better. I don’t take them before a workout, but rather during the late afternoon or early evening when all my little life stressors are peaking – the pastilles combined with the five minute time-out I take to suck on them helps me get back into that happy place I need to be. There’s nothing habit-forming or concerning about these doctor-developed candies that have been around for nearly a century – they are alcohol-free, sugar-free and the ingredients are a gentle and safe blend of flower and plant remedies.

I also love the apothecary-like tin of the RESCUE Pastilles– it has vintage charm and is convenient to stick in my purse or gym bag. You can find these at Walgreens, CVS, Sprouts, Whole Foods and other find retailers – along with other forms of the product like RESCUE Sleep Liquid Melts and RESCUE Pearls.  You really need to try RESCUE out, here’s a coupon to get you started.

I’ve also put together a stress relieving workout that will help you keep everything that life throws your way in happy balance.  Enjoy!

What do YOU do to manage your stress? Please share in the comments.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.