The benefits of exercise are far too many for us to count, keep track of, or mention simply in passing. Exercise in relation to mental health, however, is quite simply profound. Along with its impact on heart health, fitness, and reviving energy, a workout has a substantial impact on stress reduction, grounding, and other aspects related to anxiety. See below for some tips on how exercise can help with anxiety in particular.
Grounding. Exercise helps you stay grounded and in the moment. When you workout, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to be anxious at the same time, because your body is so engulfed in the increased heart rate, release of positive hormones, and just being there in the present. As therapists, we often provide insight into grounding exercises, and practice them in session so individuals can utilize them on their own and in times of anxiety.
Mindfulness. Exercise is a type of mindfulness - if one focuses on the increased heart rate, change in breathing patterns, and steady bodily movements, the mind will automatically shift gears from anxious thoughts to mindful focusing. Mindfulness is another strategy that is heavily focused on in therapy, in part due to the multiple positive effects it has on anxiety and many other mental health concerns. Anxiety feeds off of circling thoughts, overthinking, and fear; exercise doesn’t allow one’s mind to go in that direction. As mentioned previously, the combination of bodily changes during a workout prevents the mind from scrambling to locate or fixate on thoughts which provoke anxiety.
Physical movement. Some of the physiological symptoms caused by anxiety are stomach pain, weakness in the limbs, and heart palpitations or increased heart rate. While exercising, your body is inevitably involved in physical movement - anxiety causes major physical tension otherwise, and the use of physical movement will in turn ease your muscles.
Routine. With regular exercise, one can build up the resilience to feel physically, emotionally, and mentally strong in order to be guarded from anxious feelings. Continuous exercise will repeatedly give the positive effects mentioned, and in turn have an impact on one’s well being. Exercise is extremely beneficial in many cases and instances; for anxiety it is particularly profound. It undoubtedly takes some time to establish and build a habit, maintain it, and bring it to your daily life; the impact and difference it can make on one’s wellbeing, however, is priceless and well worth it.
All in all, a combination of strategies can ease symptoms of anxiety, with exercise being one of them. Anxiety can be treated by lifestyle changes, incorporation of various strategies, medication, and therapy. In therapy, we work to combat your anxious thoughts, challenge them, and help you find nuances in thinking patterns which may be harmful or triggersome. If you feel that you could benefit from therapy due to anxiety that you are experiencing, please feel free to reach out to us at Niyyah Counseling; together, we can work toward helping treat these anxious feelings and orient to a more positive, less stressful, and healthy future.