If you leave the yoga studio, gym, or sports court feeling energized, refreshed, and ready for whatever life throws your way, it may not be all in your head. A new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health found that moderate exercise can actually protect us from future emotional stress and anxiety.  

The catch, of course, is that the stress-busting effects of exercise wear off after a certain amount of time, so it’s important to keep a consistent exercise schedule.

Exercise versus quiet rest

Interestingly, the study compared exercise to quiet rest to measure their effects of future stress. While they both reduced stress in the beginning, only exercise reduced future stress. Both the exercise and the quiet rest were performed for 30 minutes in this study.

Find something you love

Not everyone likes working out at the gym, and some people can’t stand the thought of team sports. But that’s okay: the important thing is that we all find something that we love and can commit to. If you’re stuck for new ideas, consider the following:

-- interval training
-- yoga fusion
-- salsa dancing
-- rock climbing 
-- kayaking 
-- taiko 

Reference: Alive.com