Most people deal with anxiety at some point in their lives. At times it can be the last thing you think about, but it can also prevent you from moving your body. Even though you may not want to move your body, there is a clear connection between exercise and anxiety relief. In fact, numerous studies confirmed that there is a powerful link between your physical and mental health.
How Does Exercise Ease Anxiety?
Per a 2021 review in Frontiers in Psychiatry, exercise actively improves your mood, in addition to the other physical benefits that come with it. Further evidence indicates that exercise causes changes in an area of the brain that regulates the body’s stress response. Initially, exercise will spike the production of cortisol and epinephrine (stress hormones), but then they decline after completion of physical activity. It is this “die off” stress hormones that may lead to feelings of decreased stress.
For people with a diagnosed anxiety disorder, exercise may complement treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy or anti-anxiety medications. For people with mild anxiety, however, the following exercises may help prevent or even treat anxiety, but more research is necessary.
Yoga
As one of the more popular forms of exercise, yoga combines working out with controlled breathing. Yoga routines typically involve a meditative aspect and instructors occasionally request you to repeat a mantra throughout the session. A 2021 study observed 226 adults with generalized anxiety disorder. People were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of Kundalini yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, or stress management education. Although the cognitive behavior therapy group experienced longer lasting benefits, yoga was able to significantly improve anxiety symptoms. Besides strengthening your core and improving flexibility, yoga demands that you focus on your breath, which is a great way to calm the mind.
High-Intensity Workouts
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts may be a great way to break a sweat, burn a lot of calories in a short period of time, and reduce anxiety symptoms. One study found that both high- and low-intensity exercise alleviate anxiety symptoms in study participants. However, researchers found that people experienced more anxiety relief after a high-intensity sweat session. Researchers believe that higher intensity workouts stimulate a greater release of endorphins, shifting the brain chemistry in a more drastic way than lower intensity workouts. Just 10 minutes of high-intensity exercise is enough to offer mental and physical health benefits.
Nature Walks
This exercise does two things: exposes you to nature while getting your blood flowing. An expanding body of research highlights the therapeutic benefits of moving the body in natural settings, for example, hiking up a mountain or walking in a forest. A 2015 study found that young adults that went on a 50-minute nature walk felt less anxious and showed an improvement in memory function. A review of 12 studies concluded that nature walks were able to reduce state anxiety, which is the anxiety you feel in response to a perceived threat. Finally, other studies observed that walking in a lush, green environment eased anxiety symptoms. A great example of that is the practice of forest bathing.
Dancing
Dancing is a great way to move your body in an uninhibited way, making it a great stress reliever. Join a Zumba class or put on your favorite jams at home and start moving to the music. Not only is dancing a form of cardiovascular exercise, but it also helps to elevate your mood and relieve stress. Trust us when we say that you’ll feel much better after dancing.
Cardio
Research shows that any form of cardio, be it biking, swimming, running, jogging, or walking, can improve the way your lungs and heart deliver oxygen to your muscles. This improved oxygen delivery can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. In a 2015 study, researchers randomly assigned people to either an aerobics group that did 30 minutes of exercise or a controlled group that did stretching exercises. They measured anxiety levels before and after completing the exercise, in addition to measuring levels three and seven days later. The results indicated that the aerobic exercise group experienced reductions in anxiety sensitivity.
