Exercise daily to have a stress-free pregnancy

Bills, debt, traffic, jobs, deadlines, family …the list goes on and all these are major contributors to stress in today’s fast-paced world.

I remember my colleague. Damaris, (who is now in her third trimester) telling me: ‘Stress is a lot like a rocking chair; it will keep you occupied but it won’t get you anywhere.’ I could never agree more

What is stress?

Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense, typically characterized by headaches, irritability, muscular tension, depression, anxiety, increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Stress can also cause major in your productivity and lead to sleeplessness.

Long exposure to stress can lead to a plethora of diseases and disorders. These include, but are not limited to: heart attacks, hypertension, depression, weight gain and headaches.

How do we reduce stress?

Thankfully, there are many methods to help combat stress in our lives. These include:

Regular exercise

Weight training, arts, yoga, pilates, cardio aerobics and dance. All these are great remedies for stress. But not all are good for expectant mothers. When we work out, our body sees an increase in blood-flow and oxygen. Endorphins are released (our bodies’ ‘feel good’ chemical), In short, exercise clears the ‘cobwebs’ and helps us knock out that anxiety and tension which comes around especially when expecting a baby

On days that seem bleak and depressing, exercise is often the last thing we want to do. But a bit of exercise will make you feel positive and bring along physical benefit

Sleep

Do you lay tossing and turning in bed, thinking about the previous day or the upcoming one? Stress can definitely hurt our sleep requirements. Without adequate rest and sleep, we only get worse. Regular exercise helps us sleep better as it uses up that nervous and anxious energy in a constructive way.

Eat healthy

One of the causalities of a stressful lifestyle is our diet. It is common knowledge that during pregnancy, craving a particular type of food is natural. This is something that can cause stress especially to the pregnant fitness enthusiasts. In fact, stress can suppress our appetites which is dangerous. We need proper nutrition and lots of water every day. Our bodies need fuel to run healthily.

Be organized

Being disorganized or procrastinating only adds to the stress. Be fully prepared for the baby. Get the essentials In advance. This will put you at peace.

Conclusion

As noted, exercise makes you feel and look good. It boosts your self esteem and confidence, In turn keeping stress at bay. So get out there and remember that a rewarding v/workout should be accompanied by quality sleep, healthy diet and a planning culture.

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