Exercise for Stress and Anxiety
By Brooke Fletcher
With the current times the world is facing there has been a large spike in stress and anxiety, with a large percentage of the population experiencing this to a certain degree.
Dr Sarah Edelman explains Anxiety as an internal emotional state, which can sometimes develop into a condition, while stress refers to demands coming from our environment, such as time pressure, a challenging job or a sick child. When we are under stress, we often experience anxiety, but we may also experience other emotions, such as frustration, guilt, anger or hopelessness.
Stress and anxiety can present itself in different ways including mentally, emotionally and even physically. These symptoms may include, but aren’t limited to, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, upset stomach, muscle tension and fatigue. These symptoms can also increase emotional reactions including irrational anger, restlessness and difficulty concentrating.
Exercise can have a positive impact on both stress and anxiety and the symptoms they can present. When you exercise chemicals are released from the brain, with the effect from these chemicals creating a sensation of elation. The physical response of exercise can also lead to muscle relaxation.
Exercise can also empower the individual. When the individual sees what they can achieve in one part of their life i.e. physical changes and the health benefits from exercise, it can translate into other aspects of their life. This can help to increase a level of confidence and reduce stress in certain situations.
It is for the above reasons that exercise can be a way to manage stress and anxiety. When the body feels itself in a spiral of thoughts, it can be hard to just ‘switch off’. Exercise can be a great tool in terms of forcing you to focus on something else and usually this focus will be on your breathing. Once starting the exercise and focusing the mind on something else along with the chemicals released, it will help to create a more relaxed state of mind.
Exercise in itself may be a stressful situation for some or cause feelings of anxiety. It is for this reason that consulting with an Exercise Physiologist may be beneficial. Not only will that take some of the stress out of the situation in knowing what to do in regards to exercise, but they will also guide you through what is going to benefit you and your conditions.
An exercise physiologist can take the time to make sure you are comfortable in any situation, be it home visits if gyms are daunting or starting with a phone call to get to know your Exercise Physiologist and working out your goals. If this interests you or sounds like you, feel free to get in touch today for a complimentary consultation for how we may be able to help you.