March 22, 2005 • RDH Magazine
by Juli Kagan, RDH, MEd

It's 4:15 in the afternoon, and it has been a relatively uneventful day, minus the ubiquitous doctor delays for exams, the whining child (who really has no reason to be droning so dramatically), and the patient who just can't seem to get numb enough for his necessary debridement. Actually, it's just another day at the dental office and the stress can feel overwhelming!

As you know from experience, stress can make you feel weak, weary, and even depressed. People handle the tension in a variety of ways, including yelling, overeating, acting belligerent, shutting down, or even melting down. There is one way to relieve the pressure, however, and best of all it is good for you! Beyond a doubt it is also the most effective form of releasing tension. What is this highly effective, strongly proven remedy? Exercise! I know you're not surprised!

Numerous studies have shown exercise provides excellent stress-relieving benefits. To top it off, resistance training and aerobic exercise promotes strength and empowerment. It does take effort and desire, but if you set your calendar and mind to a time and place, the benefits are overwhelming.

The most important thing is to find an exercise or program that you will enjoy. This will be dependent on you physical ability and personal preferences. Some people enjoy hard-core spinning, while others desire the mindfulness of yoga. Try to choose a program that you will stick with. I personally mix it all up. Some days I bike outside, and other days I do Pilates or yoga. What I know for sure is that when I start feeling down in the dumps I simply go take a walk and in no time I am feeling better.

The physiology of exercise and why we feel so good doing it is a fascinating science, but for simplicity's sake, let's just say that exercise creates a natural high unlike any drug. Exercise essentially releases endorphins in the brain. Endorphins, as you may know, are opium-like substances and have been identified to ease pain and produce a sense of euphoria. Working out, particularly aerobically, creates this hormonal rush, sometimes called "runner's high." It doesn't take hours to induce this endorphin surge, but once it happens in your own body you will feel as if you want to "kick it up." You get a "second wind" and your mind and body start to feel elated. You are happy and, best of all, it happens naturally! No drugs, no placebo, no guesswork. You simply exercised!

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