Euphoric woman If you’re not already aware, April is National Stress Awareness Month. It doesn’t surprise us that rather than just a single day, there’s an entire month dedicated to it. After all, it’s something we can all relate to. We all get stressed at some time or another, and we’re always hearing statistics around work-related stress mentioned in the news these days. It’s well known that exercise is a great antidote for stress. Releasing endorphins, or the “happy hormone” into your body, it promotes feelings of positivity. Exercise also helps distract you from your worries and make you feel generally more optimistic. 7 ways to boost your “happy hormone” now Whether you’re already really active or are thinking it’s time to be so, here are some ideas to help boost positivity through exercise. 1. Take a 15 minute walk in the park Walking in a park Why a park? Well, walking is meant to help clear your head and boost those happy hormones no end. Walking in a busy place like a town centre or down a main road isn't going to have the desired effect. Instead, a place with lots of greenery, such as a park will help you feel more relaxed and put you into a more chilled-out state of mind. 2. Run with your best mate Hanging out with friends is always a great way to boost joy. Why not combine it with exercise and get double the dose of happiness? It doesn’t have to be running – any form of activity will work. Even if you’re someone who usually trains alone, just try getting active with a friend once a week, especially if you’re feeling a bit down or stressed. You may be surprised at how much it helps! 3. Get active at home Woman working out at home As they say, there’s no place like home. It’s where we feel most happy and chilled out. So working out in the place you feel most content makes sense. You could try yoga in your own living room - also great for meditation and feeling calm - or even create your own home gym with your choice of fitness equipment. 4. Add some greenery to your workout space Green plant Research shows that plants can help us to relax and feel calmer. Make sure you deck out your home with some nice house plants. If you work out at home, boost your work out space with the green stuff too. It will help make your exercise area an anxiety-free space, helping to separate stress from your fitness, which should be a positive part of your life. 5. Pump up the music Man running with music Music is also very well known for boosting happiness. By listening to your favourite tunes while you run on the treadmill or weight lift, you’ll definitely feel more positive and the added benefit is that it will help to boost your energy too so you achieve even more from your workout. Bonus! Lots of cardio equipment now features mp3/iPod compatibility now, making it easy to listen to your choice of music. 6. Take up boxing Woman boxing High energy exercise like boxing, kick-boxing or something similar is a great way to release tension. With coordination also being key, it’s a great way to get your mind focused on what you’re doing so there’s simply no room for your stress to even get a look in! 7. Join a fitness class This is a great way to combine exercise and socialising. By sharing experiences with other people, you’ll certainly have some fun and you might even strike up some new friendships – and maybe find someone new for point 2 above! Tell us how you de-stress We’ve shared a few of our ideas for de-stressing through exercise, but what do you do? Share your top tips in the comments below.