Reduce Stress with Exercise

Reduce Stress with Exercise (1:01)

If you're stressed out, having an alcoholic drink may be just what you think you need. But you'll get more stress relief from a walk than a beer or glass of wine. In this video, Dr. Oz explains why exercise is better than drinking for stress relief.

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Hi, I'm Dr. Oz, and here's a tip that can help you ease your stress and save your mental health. We all have days when we're completely frazzled, but should you exercise or head home thinking, boy, I can use a drink. For sure, having a drink will lower your levels of stress hormone, cortisol, but in some people, drinking only underscores the source of tension and leaves them feeling depressed.

For others, intense stress gets in the way of alcohol's relaxing effect, so they have enough drink and then another. There's nothing wrong with having a drink when you're kicking back with family and friends. Drinking in moderation, one drink a day for women, two for men helps ease your risk of heart attack and stroke, but if you are stressed to the max, take a walk instead. A 30 minute walk cuts stress and anxiety by 30%, you'll shake off some of that tension and you will burn calories instead of drinking them.

To discover more ways to live healthier, watch all of our smart tips, right here.