Can Foam Rolling Give You a Mental Boost?

Some runners think of foam rolling as a necessary evil at best, a tortuous experience at worst. Elite distance runner Chelsea Reilly Sodaro, however, views the 30 to 45 minutes she spends daily on rolling and other forms of self-therapy as a much-needed release from the stress and tension of hard training. Read the full article for Runner’s World.

Are You Suffering from Secondhand Stress?

Picture this: You’re quietly enjoying your Americano and catching up on email when your cubemate starts melting down over her bad performance review. Or you’re about to stream last week’s episode of Scandal when your friend texts you about the major drama with her off-again guy. Even though nothing’s actually changed in your life, you may feel your blood pressure surge and your heart beat faster, just as if you were the one coping with tension and pressure. Yep, stress can spread just like a virus—and like the flu, it can make you sick, experts say. Read the full article on Shape.com.

5 Surprising Ways Stress Affects Your Workout

Fighting with your guy or having your brilliant (or so you thought) ideas vetoed in a meeting can compel you to head straight to the weight room or the running path—and for good reason. A serious sweat session zaps stress, releasing tension and anger, and boosting levels of feel-good brain chemicals including endorphins. Read the full article on Shape.com.