Life changes after a major health diagnosis. The unanswered questions and stress of this new normal can wreak emotional and physical havoc. Managing stress can be an ongoing challenge, but it is possible to find calm and reduce stress even in the uncertainty of mesothelioma treatment and care.
Finding ways to check your stress and effectively manage it will offer a variety of health improvements. Physical activity not only benefits your body but improves mental well-being.
Physical Activity’s Effects on Stress
Activities such as taking a walk will almost immediately clear your mind. Walking, swimming, a round of golf, or an easy bike ride redirects your focus on the world around you. Concentrating on the activity you’re participating in helps prevent rumination.
As your body begins to work, your brain performs better and stressful thoughts may disappear. Engaging in extensive periods of activity isn’t necessary. But it can be helpful to step outside and simply walk around the block to lessen the wave of stressful emotions and experience these additional benefits of physical activity.
Relieved Muscle Tension
The body instinctively protects itself from injury and pain. Muscle tension can be an automatic stress response. Chronic stress produces a perpetual state of tension, leading to physical symptoms such as:
- Migraines
- Tension headaches
- Upper and lower back pain
Gentle physical activity can reduce the physical symptoms caused by muscle tension.
Improved Breathing
Physical activity can improve breathing. Studies report that intense psychological stressors can trigger respiratory symptoms such as hyperventilation and shortness of breath that occurs with panic attacks. Regular movement offers improved mental health and better response to stressful stimuli through controlled breathing.w
Decreased Inflammation
Stress’s ability to produce a constant fight-or-flight response in the body can lead to chronic inflammation. Mesothelioma is linked with chronic inflammation in the lungs. Further inflammation can impair your body’s response to treatment and interfere with your body’s recovery efforts. Some of the known conditions linked to chronic stress are:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Depression
Taking walks in a natural setting such as a forest or park can significantly reduce cortisol, the stress hormone in the body. Exposure to nature and physical activity boosts our feel-good hormones like endorphins and dopamine and combats stress and its inflammatory properties.
Better Sleep
Stress can severely disrupt our sleep patterns and hinder our ability to cope effectively with health challenges. Physical activity can improve our ability to sleep restfully and create a healthier emotional response.
Adults experience improved sleep quality, extended duration of sleep, and a decrease in the time it takes to fall asleep when engaging in regular, moderate exercise. Our bodies heal while they rest and can better combat the effects of diseases such as mesothelioma when well-rested.
Physical Activity Improves Overall Quality of Life
Growing evidence supports physical activity’s ability to positively impact the quality of life for cancer patients. Depression, anxiety, and fatigue can be reduced by exercise, leading to greater happiness and improved self-esteem while promoting stress reduction.
- Participate in various types of exercise to determine what is a better stress reliever for you.
- Have fun and keep physical activities simple.
- Start slowly. You are more likely to continue physical activity when it isn’t overwhelming.
- Work with your care team to discuss any physical activities you want to try and discuss the benefits.
Caring for yourself through physical activity after a mesothelioma diagnosis is a loving act you can perform each day. Listen to your body when it needs rest. But scheduling regular physical activity with a friend or family member can provide additional stress relief and allow you to navigate Mesothelioma in a more positive, stress-free way.