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RealAge Tip

How Dumbbells Make You Immune to Stress

Rating: 4 out of 5
Crazy commute? No problem. Mile-long to-do list? Bring it on. Mini work crisis? Easy.

Just make dumbbell your middle name and you’ll be practically immune to these kinds of things. Why? Because people with decent muscle mass have an easier time recovering from mental stress.

Pump Up the Jam
Whether you use dumbbells, resistance bands, or your own body weight to build muscle (think push-ups), you’re one step ahead of the stress game. Having a lean body mass (more muscle, less fat) helps your body normalize blood pressure more quickly after a mentally stressful event, because a fit body does a better job of ridding itself of sodium. And that takes a big load off of your heart and arteries when you’re under the gun. Test your sodium smarts with this quick quiz.

Ways to Muscle Up
Buff your bod and beat high blood pressure with these cool tools: Are your blood pressure readings correct? Here’s how to get the most accurate numbers.
RealAge Benefit: Strength training can make your RealAge 1 year younger.

References Published on 09/17/2008.
Relationship of body composition to stress-induced pressure natriuresis in youth. Wilson, M. E. et al., American Journal of Hypertension 2004 Nov;17(11 Pt 1):1023-1028.

EDITOR'S PICK
GoFit Ultimate ProGym with DVD


You don’t need to spend a ton to get into shape. On alternating days, do a brisk walk (get some hills in there) or a resistance-band toning routine (sounds simple, does wonders). As you build lean muscle, the fat burns faster, and the stress and inches will vanish.

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Tips from the RealAge Community MemberTipsIcon
What’s your secret to nipping stress in the bud?
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starchem
2 of 2 people found this helpful.
9/19/2008 8:26:53 AM

A workout a day keeps stress at bay. Not just dumbells, any workout will help you beat stress. I happen to be the proverbial gymrat, been st [Show More]
mlou23
6 of 6 people found this helpful.
9/19/2008 7:29:09 AM

I sit at a desk for hours on end (pun intended) but keep 2 lb. dumbells within reach so while waiting for things to load onto the computer, [Show More]
Taichiman
5 of 6 people found this helpful.
9/18/2008 12:58:57 AM

Tai chi chuan and yoga are great for stress, the book Asian Mind-Body Techniques Revealed goes into detail on how to use them for stress re [Show More]
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