Whichever creates the most enjoyment. As this will create the most benefits for you personally.

So why mention exercise if I'm not going to tell you what to do. Simple. It isn't what type of exercise you do, but how and where you do it.

To remove stress by exercising is simple to do, water is an emotional substance. Flowing water is even better. So exercising by water or in it if you like is a great way to reduce stress.

Go for a walk by the ocean, river or lake. Go for a swim in a relaxed fashion if you enjoy swimming.

When you exercise you clear your mind, as you breathe you inhale energy and exhale stress. So exercising is increasing your energy and reducing your stress levels.

Exercising next to water just adds to this. Water like I said is emotional, it calms and soothes you. After all you are made up of mainly water anyway.

So just a few times a week, go do some exercise, gentle preferably but next to water if you can. Being next to nature and away from the hustle and bustle of day to day life gives us a nice quiet space to enjoy.

If you live in a city where water is too far away, and then buy a CD of music related to water. It doesn't have to have whale sounds, waves crashing or any noise of the ocean. But, music that reminds you of water flowing, or if you do like the sounds of water, then get a CD with that on it.

But exercising with gentle music is a good way to drift away from all the stresses of the day. One thing, which may show my age a bit; don't listen to music with a heavy beat. It will alter how you feel as your body and mind will go into the rhythm of the music. So if the beat is too fast and heavy, then your heart rate will increase, you may feel agitated etc.

So just go for a walk, (I still personally believe walking is best ? again my like), listen to music gently and be by water for at least half an hour, three times a week.

Just see how much better you will feel by just doing this alone. It still amazes me how inactive a lot of us are. If we don't breathe we don't remove stress or gain energy.

Sport is great, it relaxes you, and it is usually social and so creates an anti-stress activity on many different levels. Below is a list of sports and their attributes from my perspective. However a good way to look at sport is from the perspective of aiming to reduce stress?.

So if you deal with people day in and day out, then play a solitary sport. As playing in a team sport where others may affect the enjoyment, competitiveness etc may create more stress at times.

If you are in a solitary occupation, as in you own and run your own business, then a team sport where you see others is better.

Mental occupations and the stress of golf at times may clash.

Physical occupations and playing contact sports at a high level will add more physical stress to your life.

So think of the type of sport that is more likely going to reduce your stress. You may want to do more than one activity to address all your enjoyment and anti-stress goals.

The ?golden rule? is to enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy. Playing sport, exercising and general activity, should be based on ?your? enjoyment. Don't base it on an article you read where the sport ?xyz? is the best thing ever, as it burns more calories, improves fitness quicker etc. Do the activity you enjoy ? this way you will make it a habit and you will always get the benefits of reduced stress, increased energy and better health.