By Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent psychological symptoms among the population. Learn in this article how exercising can treat this condition.
One of the most beneficial treatments for anxiety disorders is exercise. An active lifestyle is not only a source of physical well-being but also helps with mental well-being.
In recent years, more and more health professionals have been talking about sports as an intervention without side effects to treat certain diagnoses. Research has focused on understanding why moving our bodies makes us feel happier and in a better mood.
With this in mind, we will review the main findings regarding the benefits of exercise to reduce anxiety symptoms.
1. Releases hormones that induce positive states
The process that occurs in the brain while you exercise provides one of the greatest benefits of physical exercise for anxiety.
During and after a training session, the body releases hormones to produce changes in the organism. These include neurotransmitters, molecules that act on the central nervous system through various effects that affect mental health; the best known are the following:
- Dopamine : provides pleasant emotions such as pleasure and relaxation.
- Serotonin : helps stabilize mood and in biological processes, such as falling asleep.
- Endorphins : related to emotions of euphoria and joy. They also reduce the sensation of pain.
In this regard, a study published in the journal CuidArte indicates that physical exercise is a source of endorphins, which are also involved in the prevention of metabolic syndrome, which increases the likelihood of suffering from heart disease or diabetes .
2. Reduces symptoms of panic attacks
Anxiety disorders include panic attacks. People with this diagnosis experience anxiety episodes in different contexts: alone, on public transport, in shopping centres, at work, etc.
These attacks can become so severe and continuous that they limit daily life. The most common treatment is a combination of psychotropic drugs and psychological therapy .
The latter involves a key component with a high degree of effectiveness: interoceptive exposure . It consists of generating symptoms similar to a panic attack during the consultation. For example: jumping several times to raise the heart rate; or blowing into a bag to hyperventilate.
The goal is to understand that when exercising, unpleasant bodily sensations are generated, similar to those of an attack; you have to learn to tolerate them and not interpret them as something dangerous.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Cases in Mental Health reported that exercise has helped to reduce symptoms, so much so that participants experienced a reduction in the frequency and intensity of panic attacks. This is understood as one of the benefits of exercise against anxiety.
3. Increases resistance to stress
If there is one thing that characterizes people who play sports, it is their ability to resist adversity. Training requires a great deal of physical effort. In addition, every day new obstacles appear that need to be overcome in order to progress.
These lessons are not only applicable in the field of physical activity , but can also be transferred to everyday life. In fact, people who are fighters in training are also fighters at work, in interpersonal relationships and in other areas of life.
Based on this idea, research from the University of Georgia indicates that those who are physically active perceive themselves as more resistant to stress. This factor prevents the development of psychological problems, especially in those who tend to experience anxiety symptoms.
4. It helps distract you from worries
Ruminating and turning over thoughts during the day is a trigger for anxiety. The solution should be as easy as stopping thinking. However, there are no remedies capable of achieving this.
Therefore, it is much more effective to find some activity that allows the mind to rest. Sport is the best choice, since during the time you are active you have to be attentive to so many stimuli that it is impossible to think about your worries .
This doesn’t mean that they will disappear completely just by distracting yourself for an hour a day. However, putting aside the negative for a while helps you relax and be able to face it with a more positive mindset at another time.
5. Promotes night rest
Getting a good night’s sleep is a fundamental requirement for being healthy. But more and more people are suffering from insomnia , that is, problems falling or staying asleep.
The relationship between sleep and anxiety is a loop in which the more nervous you feel, the less able you are to sleep. On the other hand, a lack of rest affects your mood, worsening your mental health .
Among the benefits of physical exercise for anxiety is the regulation of circadian rhythms . However, the time of day is important. It is best to exercise in the morning or early afternoon. When you exercise in the hours before going to sleep, you get the opposite effect: more time in bed waiting to fall asleep.
How much exercise should you do to experience anti-anxiety benefits?
With all of the above in mind, you may be wondering how much physical activity is necessary to combat anxiety. In order to answer that question, we will refer to the World Health Organization .
According to their recommendations, adults should do at least 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week (walking, running, swimming, dancing, etc.). This means spending one hour doing it three to five days a week. In addition, it is advisable to add strength training at least two days a week.
An interesting fact pointed out by the same institution is that these figures can be increased, experiencing additional benefits. Obviously, there is a limit to exercise: overtraining . Even so, it is important to emphasize that exercising daily is healthy.
A medicine free of side effects
The positive effects of exercise on mental health have been known for decades. Today, it is considered an effective treatment prescribed by professionals. In addition, it has two great advantages over medicines: it has no side effects and does not carry the stigma of psychotropic drugs.
If you are going through a rough patch, feeling overwhelmed, take note of the benefits listed above. Although for them to be effective, our recommendation is that you experience them for yourself. So put on your sneakers, start moving and clear your mind.