There is no such thing as a stress-free divorce

You are getting divorced. You have no children, and agree on a fair split of assets. Each of you will take what you brought into the marriage and evenly split everything you brought in together. There is no acrimony; no one cheated. The two of you just grew apart. While there is sadness, there is no stress, right?

Divorce and Stress.

A chapter of your life is ending. There will be many changes in your life. You will be living alone, coming home to an empty house. You have to build a social life – married friends will see less of you. You may need to find a new place to live. These and many other changes cause stress. Too much stress weakens your body and makes you vulnerable to physical and mental disorders. Your body does not whether the stress is emotional or physical in nature. It reacts the same way.

The Effects of Stress.

According to WebMD, too much unresolved stress can lead to a condition called distress. Distress has physical symptoms that include headaches, stomach problems, high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, and chest pain.

Many of us who suffer stress during a divorce deal with it in a manner that makes it worse. We self-medicate with tobacco, alcohol, binge eating, or drugs. Paradoxically, these substances do not help your body return to a less stressful place. In fact, they keep the body in a more stressful state that can lead to further problems.

Stress Relief.

The Mayo Clinic recommends exercise as a powerful stress reliever. The clinic says that almost any form of exercise is helpful. Exercise acts on stress right away to break its hold on you. Here are some tips on relieving stress through physical activity:

When you exercise, your body produces more endorphins – these are the feel-good neurotransmitters in your brain. Frequently, when runners finish their run they feel exceptionally good due to a massive influx of endorphins known as "runners high."

If you have Bundle.tv, you have access to channels that broadcast weight loss classes, yoga classes, Pilate’s classes, and exercise classes. You can try any and all of these stations and find the type of regimen that you enjoy doing. Besides keeping you in good physical shape, the programs and exercises will help you reduce stress.

The Mayo Clinic cautions that you have to be realistic. If you have not exercised recently, take baby steps. Start with a less intense work out. It is a good idea to start with 10 minutes the first week and add five minutes each week until you reach a half-hour. Also, recent research suggests that you could break your workouts up into two or three blocks and get the same or better results both physically and mentally.

Your physical activity does not have to be organized. Swimming, running and jogging, gardening and walking stairs will have the same beneficial result as going to the gym.

Some people going through a divorce feel lonely as stressed. Getting involved in a team sport such as soft ball or volley ball leads to your meeting new people while relieving stress.

Taken from: Guest Post (article, By Cecilia Ybarra), Google (images).