Now scientists are studying the link between exercise and mood changes at close range and coming up with some fascinating results. And moderate exercisers show lowered blood-pressure levels and a resultant positive mood. The key is moderate exercise, performed a minimum of 30 minutes, three or four times a week. People who exercise regularly, even at something as simple as walking or bicycling, are more flexible. They experience less stress on the muscles and joints when they do bend down the wrong way.
Conditioned muscles recover faster, too.
It's the couch potato who hauls himself erect one Saturday afternoon to rake the leaves or shovel snow who has trouble. The big problem we all face these days is living a stressful life. All families seem to be too busy to sit down together and share the joys and pleasures of life. The little things that once mattered are no longer important and now there is a race for more money, more time and more material possessions. One of the body's automatic reactions to stress is rapid, shallow breathing.