https://www.lesmills.com/article/win-young-people-by-helping-ease-their-stress

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Win young people by helping ease their stress

23.01.2025

Emma Hogan

Case Studies

Helping Gen Z to offset their everyday stress could be key to securing loyal members for life. A new study reveals the one quick workout that serves up the specific stress relief many young people need.

Les Mills presenter performing a Yoga pose

When it comes to attracting the Gen Z market, there’s one important thing to bear in mind – you’re dealing with the most stressed demographics around. According to the GlobeScan Radar Trends Report, Gen Z is experiencing more stress than any other generation, with 35% saying they feel stressed or anxious most or all of the time. Awakening these strung-out individuals to the mental health benefits of exercise could help set them up for life – and a new study reveals the one workout that has a particularly powerful effect.

The findings come after Dr. Gillian Hatfield and a team of researchers from the University of the Fraser Valley focused on one of the most stressful situations many young people face, exams. Likely triggered by fear of failure, past mistakes, or intense perfectionism, exam anxiety can be seriously detrimental and sabotage anyone’s ability to study, rationalise and focus. Studies show that such anxiety can have a negative effect on academic achievement and when test anxiety is reduced, performance levels improve.

Two Les Mills presenter performing a Yoga pose

“Previous research has shown that breathing techniques and relaxation can help, but we wanted to explore whether performing yoga directly before an exam would be beneficial,” explains Dr. Hatfield. Working with a group of students, they identified that when students did a short BODYBALANCE™ workout before their exam they significantly reduced their anxiety levels. The reduction in anxiety didn't happen when they spent the same amount of time doing pre-exam cramming. “What we found is that a well-designed exercise session can deliver immediate benefits in a high-stress situation,” says Dr. Hatfield. “The calming effects of BODYBALANCE clearly helped students enter the exam with lower anxiety levels, and we know from past studies that lower anxiety levels can be key to improved performance.”

Improved academic performance isn’t the only way BODYBALANCE can help your members to fine-tune their life. Previous research shows that when individuals add a short BODYBALANCE session to their routine it can help improve sleep, increase motivation and boost confidence – at the same time as reducing feelings of sadness, anxiety and tension.