Take a roller coaster and scare away all the stress? Doctor: Yoga is better for relieving stress!

Modern people are overwhelmed by work and financial pressures, and often rely on massage, watching movies, singing or running to relieve stress, but they still don't feel satisfied. Therefore, some brave people choose to ride roller coasters, high jumps, or engage in extreme sports such as surfing and rock climbing, believing that the long breaths of breath after experiencing these adventures are a symbol of complete release of stress. However, does intense exercise really relieve stress? Psychiatrists see it differently!

When you are under a lot of pressure, you may want to try extreme sports, but be careful that it may only increase the pressure!

Wang Fenggang, director of the Forensic Psychiatry Center of Changhua Christian Hospital, said that the principle of relieving stress through extreme sports such as riding roller coasters, high jumping, hang gliding, rock climbing, surfing, river tracing, and jogging is very similar to watching horror movies. They all put the body and mind in a highly tense state for a period of time before releasing the stress in one breath.

Although people tend to let out a long breath after finishing such adventurous activities, and think that the breath is the source of stress that makes them unhappy, and that once it is all out, they will feel relieved, this is most likely an illusion of "feeling good about themselves."

Studies have found that using this adventurous and exciting way to relieve stress in the long term does not really relieve stress completely. Instead, it makes it easier for people to feel stressed all the time. In addition, not everyone is suitable for this type of stimulating exercise. People with poor nervous system function may easily develop high blood pressure or acute cardiovascular disease due to high tension, which may be life-threatening.

Guess what! Which kind of exercise is the most stress-relieving?

So, which type of exercise is better for relieving stress? Dr. Wang Fenggang said that each type of exercise has different effects on the brain nerves. Studies have found that weight training, such as weightlifting, can improve cognitive abilities, help solve problems, and avoid stress caused by unresolved problems; intermittent exercise of "move, stop, move, stop" can stimulate the brain nerves, reduce appetite, and also has a good effect on quitting smoking and drinking addiction.

Training exercises, such as frog jumps, shuttle runs, box jumps, etc., can enhance the cerebellum's sense of balance, improve concentration and self-control. Aerobic exercise, such as hiking, jogging and swimming, mainly acts on the hypothalamus, promoting the release of endorphins and dopamine, helping to eliminate stress and improving memory.

However, the stress-relieving effect of the above exercises is not as good as yoga! Dr. Wang Fenggang said that studies have found that "yoga" can improve the function of the brain's prefrontal lobe, reduce fear, and is the best stress-relieving exercise. In 2017, Canada even included yoga in its depression treatment guidelines for the first time, believing that as long as patients with depression do yoga five times a week, each time for more than 30 minutes, for three months, the anti-depression effect will be the same as that of drugs.

Yoga relieves stress, and it is more effective if you practice it consistently and combine it with mindfulness courses!

Compared to stress-relieving methods that emphasize "fast and intense" activities such as riding roller coasters and bungee jumping, Dr. Wang Fenggang said that slow-paced exercises such as yoga and Tai Chi focus on the balance of body and mind. If practiced 3 to 5 times a week and persisted, the effect of relieving stress will be better. Especially when doing yoga, if you can combine the guidance of mindfulness courses, such as meditation, it will help relieve stress and regain a relaxed and comfortable life.