Inspection stress managable with proper fitness

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alex Martinez
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  Long weekdays and short weekends; it must be inspection time. 

The laundry list of, let's say unfortunates, can be overwhelming. Unfortunates like being away from family, more work-less play, fear of failing, the responsibility of others; yes, it all can be a handful. For some, managing all of these stresses is easy, but for others, the stress could be challenging. 

One solution: Instead of letting the stress consume life, work it off by working out. 

"Everybody deals with stress in different ways," said Alison Morrell, health and wellness center. "Exercise is a proven effective way of relieving stress." 

Aside from working out, many people turn to alternative, sometimes unhealthy, methods of dealing with stress. Excessive eating, smoking and chewing tobacco, drinking alcohol, and taking medication are examples of unhealthy methods. 

"A lot of people revert to eating when dealing with stress," Mrs. Morrell said. "Most of the time, the food isn't the healthiest." 

Mrs. Morrell said the best method of healthy eating, especially during an inspection, is to take food into the workplace to avoid having to go out and eat unhealthy food. 

Foods as simple as fresh fruit, yogurt, cheese sticks, leftovers and nuts are examples of easy healthy foods. 

So, when it's time to actually workout and work off stress, the question arises: What is the best exercise to combat stress? 

Well, that all depends on the person, and how much time they have to devote to exercising. 

"When people think of exercise, they think of it as a chore; they think they have to work out at an accelerated level, but that's not the case," Mrs. Morrell said. "Healthy exercise can consist of a 10 to 15 minute workout in the workplace or outside." 

She said exercises like calisthenics, walking or running at a personal, comfortable level will satisfy stress relief. 

"[Exercising] will release endorphins in your body that will bring a sense of calm during and after, and help with stress," Mrs. Morrell said. "It's amazing what fitness does to your body." 

So as the paper's pile up on employee desks, or as the observant inspector hovers over a shoulder, remember to deal with stress in a tactful manner:
fitness and exercise.