When you are stressed, your body releases hormones that make you insulin resistant, keeping your blood sugar high. This makes sense when you consider that the purpose of these hormones is to make sure you have enough energy to run away from the stressor (e.g. a tiger).

Since we are usually not running away from anything when we are stressed, stress hormones, blood sugar, and insulin stay high, contributing to high blood pressure and chronic inflammation. This means that movement of any kind is medicine when you’re stressed. It can help lower your elevated blood sugar, and guide you out of your stress state18.