For Emma Roberts, starring in Scream Queens means she needs a little namaste off set. And in in a recent Instagram post, she’s showing all the haters how yoga helps.
Roberts told the New York Times that her job can get a little bit hectic sometimes, and when you’re a Hollywood star in the public eye, things never seem to let up. If you’re not on set for long, crazy hours of filming, you’re being followed around by paparazzi who want a shot of you doing anything from buying a coffee to walking into the gym for a little weightlifting. At the end of the day, it can cause a lot of anxiety and stress.
Exercise for Stress Relief
To help ease the stress and anxiety, Roberts says she participates in Pilates with Scream Queens co-star Lea Michele. Pilates is a popular form of resistance training that focuses on controlled movements and breathing, while working to improve total body strength, control, and endurance.
Now, there are a number of questions surrounding Pilates as an effective method to prevent injuries and conditions it claims to (there is insufficient evidence), but it can be part of a healthy lifestyle and included into your exercise routine.
In addition to Pilates, Emma Roberts also told the New York Times that she enjoys yoga. It helps her with stress relief, which is a great benefit of exercise and yoga, which leads to better sleep: a key component of overall health.
Exercise—whether weightlifting, Pilates, running, swimming (or any form of cardio), or playing sports—can be a great way to relieve stress. It’s scientifically proven to lower cortisol (stress hormone), which can limit anxiety in the long term, while providing an outlet for energy release when you need it most.
Picking Something You Like
The key to success with any exercise program is to make sure you pick an activity you enjoy. For some, it could be weightlifting; others might like Pilates; some may enjoy CrossFit; while others may like to mix it up every day. But if you’re getting at least 30–60 minutes of exercise per day and combining strength training and cardio, you’re giving yourself the best chance to enjoy all the stress relieving benefits.
Of course, nutrition can play a role in how you’re affected by stress too. Some foods—predominantly processed and refined foods that cause inflammation like French fries, chips, refined sugars, soda, alcohol or caffeinated beverages—can boost anxiety, leading to stress. Furthermore, when people feel stress, they tend to reach for these very items to help them cope because they can create feelings of positive emotions. These foods—and stress—can lead to overeating, weight gain, and possibly metabolic conditions that put a lot of stress on your cells.
If you can, try and eat healthy the majority of the time, and especially when you feel stressed. Some of the best foods to battle or prevent stress include: Leafy green veggies, Turkey breast, Oatmeal, Probiotic yogurt/kefir, Salmon, Blueberries, Pistachios, Avocado, Cashews.
Sources:
Funston, L., “12 Superfoods for Stress Relief,” Health magazine web site, 2016; http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20909426,00.html, last accessed November 17, 2016.
“Why Stress Causes People to Overeat,” Harvard Medical School web site, February 2012; http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-stress-causes-people-to-overeat, last accessed November 17, 2016.
