Stress Mastery: The Art of Coping Gracefully

The Benefits of Exercise

Is there proof that exercise helps to cope with stress? Research clearly indicates that exercise is an effective stress reducer. Indeed, many studies have found that one of the most reliable differences between individuals with high and low levels of stress resistance was exercise and activity level (for example, see Brown, 1991; Kobasa,, Maddi, & Puccetti, 1982; and Roth & Holmes, 1987, just to name a few). In one study, McGilley and Holmes (1989), found that individuals who exercised regularly had lower cardiovascular and subjective responses to psychological stress than individuals who were not physically fit. Studies have also been done linking regular aerobic exercise to reductions in depression (McCann & Holmes, ...