Which brings us to our next question. First of all, exercise is a stress on the body, as it raises stress responses for a short period in order to get through the demand of training. But this stress is replaced with endorphins. It is only when exercise is used incorrectly that it can add to our long-term stress levels, Dr Oluwajana says.

“This depends on the individual context. For example, if you suffer from social anxiety you join a group exercise class, that might be more stressful than relaxing for you. Those who are exercising who have physical health conditions such as heart disease or joint or muscle problems could exasperate their problems, which might indirectly affect stress levels.

“For the average person, over-exercising without sufficient rest, recovery, nutrition and hydration can have negative effects too. Overtraining syndrome can lead to poor performance, feeling fatigued or irritable and it can affect your sleep. That’s all going to contribute to high-stress levels,” Dr Oluwajana says.

It’s best not to ruin a good thing, we say, so always check with a professional trainer or doctor to see if what you are doing is good for your mental and physical wellbeing.

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