Movement: A Natural Outlet For Anxiety: Bring On Your Calm
You probably already know that if you exercise regularly, good movement can help you feel less stressed and better able to cope with problems. BUT CAN EXERCISE HELP WITH SIGNIFICANT ANXIETY? YES, it can! Studies have found that physical activity can not only reduce anxiety symptoms but can improve your quality of life.
We are prewired to be active! Most of us sit at work, sit at school, and sit during our leisure activities. The modern-day advances and technologies have translated into a lifestyle of unprecedented inactivity. We no longer have to get up to go into a coffee shop for that warm coffee latte, a restaurant, or the grocery store. We can order to have it delivered with the tap of a finger using our smartphone, computer, etc., or go through a drive-thru, which = no movement on our part.
Let that sink in for a moment. Yikes! Yes, it may be convenient or helpful at times, but these modern-day advances are impacting our physical and mental health significantly. This inactivity takes a steep toll on wellbeing. It is a contributing factor in obesity, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart disease, depression, and, yes, ANXIETY.
A Natural Outlet for Anxiety
When anxiety hits, our body goes into fight-or-flight mode. When this occurs, our sympathetic nervous system is activated, and a surge of adrenaline is released. Your body is receiving a message to get ready to move quickly. When we remain inactive in the face of this state of activation, it can intensify our symptoms.
If you become physically active when the anxiety begins, you satisfy your body’s need to react to the anxiety, and your mind turns off the alarm signals indicating that it is no longer in danger. However, continues, long-term physical activity can help regulate the intensity and frequency of the symptoms that underlie anxiety. Creating a habit of movement is beneficial beyond belief!
neurotransmitters Are Known to play a role in anxiety With Exercise
Endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemical, is increased every time we exercise. It also increases body temperature, which tends to induce a sense of calm, boost mood, build self-esteem and confidence, and provide social interaction with others.
Dopamine is essential to movement. It also influences motivation and plays a role in how a person perceives reality.
Serotonin helps regulate mood, sleep, and appetite, and inhibits pain. Both EXERCISE and SUNSHINE raise serotonin levels, which may be low when you have anxiety. It can raise the serotonin level in the brain and increase the activity of serotonin in the cerebral cortex. Serotonin is associated with the amelioration of all anxiety disorders, which is why some people improve after taking an SSRI. So, I encourage you to put these two together and increase physical activity benefits by exercising outdoors.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter because it's thought to hinder the activity of other neurotransmitters; it may help quell anxiety. Researchers found that vigorous bouts of exercise increase levels of two common neurotransmitters— glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA
The Value And Preventative Benefits of Movement
Exercise counters several physiological factors that underlie anxiety. People who exercise regularly tend to have less frequent or milder episodes of anxiety.
Reduced dependence on alcohol and drugs.
Increased subjective feelings of well-being.
Reduced insomnia and depression.
A greater sense of control over stress and anxiety.
Increased self-esteem.
Improved concentration and memory.
Reduced skeletal muscle tension, which is responsible for your feelings of being tense or uptight.
A discharge of pent-up frustration, which can aggravate phobic or panic reactions.
Enhances oxygenation of the blood and brain, which increases alertness and concentration.
Stimulation of the production of endorphins, natural substances in your brain that resemble morphine both chemically and in their effects, increasing your sense of well-being.
Improve circulation, elimination, digestion, and utilization of food.
Decreased cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Exercise is a natural calm for anxiety. Exercise has endless benefits for both our physical and mental health. Many studies are supporting that it can help with anxiety, depression, and stress. Researchers examining exercise and anxiety strongly encourage people who struggle with anxiety to exercise regularly in addition to adhering to proven treatment modalities.
What Kind of Exercise is Best?
All forms of activity have value. The key is always to focus on what can be done, not what can't be done. Find something you enjoy; start with something you like. Any activity is better than none, and for the vast majority, more would be better.
Actively Change Your Brain
General active lifestyle: simply increase walking and other non-sitting activities. Pedometers can help gauge levels and have been shown to increase activity in those who wear them. 10,000 steps per day is the goal.
Get your heart rate up - to the point of being out of breath. Interval training: 4 min warmup, 30 seconds of high-intensity activity, 90 seconds of low intensity, repeat 8 times.
Brain and Mood Benefits of High-Intensity Exercise
Stimulates endorphin release which diminishes the sensation of pain and improves sleep.
Stimulates neurotrophin release, which improves learning and memory Increases metabolism, which improves energy, builds muscle, and helps balance sex hormones.
Stimulates and strengthens adrenal function, improving mood, and ability to cope with stress.
Tips for sticking with exercise
Pick something you like. Enjoying the activity is crucial to long term engagement. Finding happiness in your exercise routine is vital to having success and keeping up the habit. When you have an exercise that you enjoy and fun, it gives you internal motivation to keep up the routine. Focusing on building a personal drive founded on sheer enjoyment creates a positive body-image, links healthy habits with a happy mind, and continually increases your l desire and motivation to regularly exercise a new practice and lifestyle. It’s okay to try different dance classes, yoga, pilates, running/jogging, swimming, and anything active!
Make a plan and set realistic goals. Once you decide to start exercising regularly, try to create a plan that includes attainable steps and goals. Put systems in place.
Find an activity buddy. Adding social engagement enhances commitment and reward for most people.
Visualize your success. When you’re setting your goals, make sure you understand precisely what it will look like when you reach your goal. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and visualize the moment you achieve this goal. Use your senses, sight, sound, and touch to envision what that moment will exactly look like.
Avoid making judgments about your day first thing in the morning.
Focus on YOU and you ONLY. Don’t lose yourself in your progress when working on implementing exercise into your lifestyle. Exercising is a fundamental component of self-care and well-being, so being kind to yourself during the process is essential. Using exercise as a way to determine your worth is ineffective and extremely unhealthy for your mental state. Exercising for the right reasons is more likely to keep you exercising and turning it into a habit and lifestyle. Focus on how exercising makes you feel instead of how it makes you look.
Convenience is key. It is essential not to make things more complicated than they need to be and find ways to reduce our already stressful lives. Convenience itself is an excellent motivator. Finding a gym near you or creating a workout routine at home that works for you will make it easier for you to exercise regularly and make it less of a chore.
Create a music playlist. Music has been proven to enhance performance when exercising, and choosing the right songs per your taste in music will reduce your perceived effort. Choosing music that is high-intensity and encouraging and offers an emotional connection will increase motivation. Your brain focuses on the song and emotions that accompany them rather than the exercise; therefore, endurance will increase.