Can your body handle a long term stress load?

There is no doubt in my mind that exercise reduces stress in one’s life.

There are many studies out there that can show you the science by which I make my claim but the reality is, you don’t really understand it until you are right in the middle of a life changing crisis and you are physically and mentally required to step up to the plate to perform.

Eleven years ago my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was that day that began a series of life changing events that required me to be on my game and alert 24/7. I went from being a husband to, over time, being a caregiver. If it weren’t for the fact I was in great physical condition, I don’t know if I would have been able to do as much as I did.

Imagine owning your own business, maintaining a home, which included, everyday household chores, taking care of my family and all outdoor projects as well, including lawn work. My day would look something like this;

0500: wake up for the day
0530: arriving at the gym for my first class to teach
0545: first class teaching (for 45 minutes)
0630: first training session
0700: second class teaching
0730: second training session
0800: third training session
0830: make my way home to get my wife up for the day
0900: third class teaching
0930: fourth training session
1000: fifth training session
1030: back home to check on my wife and maybe get some household chores started
1100: sixth training session
1130: home for lunch to check on my wife, eat and continue the chores I started earlier
1300: seventh training session
1330: eighth training session
1400: ninth training session
1430: tenth and eleventh training session
1500: twelfth training session
1530: thirteenth and fourteenth training session
1600: fourth class teaching
1630: fifteenth training session
1700: sixteenth and seventeenth training sessions
1730: head home for the day, cook dinner and assisting my wife with what she needed
1830: Zoom training session number one
1930: Zoom training session number two
2000: bedtime

When she was in the hospital, at 1800 I would make my way there and have dinner with her, come home again, then do more chores that needed to be done or finished.

Why have I told you all this? Definitely not to brag, but for this reason: Because I have exercised continuously and have kept my body in such great shape, the ongoing stress over the years tested my body to the extreme and it performed like a champ! It took on the stress beautifully, and it reduced the effects of that stress I felt on my body.

Can your body handle a long term stress load? If not, why not? The benefit of exercise shows itself most when you’re called upon to do things that ordinarily you don’t do. Are you ready for a life changing situation in your life? Now is the time to prepare! Get moving!