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Introduction on The Benefits of Exercising for Anxiety and Mood
Exercise has always been incredibly hard for me to do. Not just physically, but mentally as well.
The lack of motivation from depression, combined with my panic attacks that get triggered when I’m out of breath and light-headed while I exercise creates a big old mess of suffering for me. However, the benefits of exercising for mental health are so prominent that it’s worth the battle.
That’s why for this post, I really want to focus in on the exact ways exercise improves mental health, specifically the benefits of exercising for anxiety and mood abnormalities.
And I’m not talking about the basics we all know. I’m talking about the ways in which exercise acts as therapy, and can lead to a reduction of panic attacks, and improvement of mood.
This will be divided by mood benefits, and then anxiety benefits, but all of them can certainly apply to you. So let’s jump in!
Exercise Creates Endorphins (Mood Benefit)
Ah, good old endorphins. This is one we often hear about so I’m going to make it short and sweet. Without making this a science class, endorphins are the little friends in our bodies that help reduce pain and make us feel happier. They get released when we exercise, which means post-workout we’ll be feeling brighter, and more energetic.
This is essential for depression when you feel like death most of the time.
The increase in endorphins can energize you to do other activities you either love or haven’t had the energy to do, creating a cycle of productivity and happiness. Something often lacking for those experiencing depression.
On top of that, if you really don’t want to take any sort of medication, this acts as a natural mood booster. And if you have a milder depression, this could be sufficient for you to feel better.
Exercise Makes you Feel Accomplished (Mood Benefit)
You did your workout, the endorphins are kicking in, and you’re now also likely feeling accomplished.
This feeling of “I did something” is really important for those who often feel like they’re not enough, or like they can’t do anything.
Plus, this pride you’re experiencing will help push you to do it again, creating that same magical cycle of productivity and happiness.
And don’t even get me started on the benefits to your self-esteem when you continuously exercise. Not only will you feel better mentally, but also physically! Your body will change; you’ll become stronger, sharper, all improving your self-confidence.
Do not undermine this part! Even if you took a walk or only did half of the workout, it doesn’t matter. You did something and anything is better than nothing. It is absolutely an accomplishment no matter how small or light the workout was!
Exercise Acts as Exposure Therapy for Panic Disorder (Anxiety Benefits)
Exposure Therapy: A type of therapy often used with phobias and anxiety disorders such as Panic Disorder and OCD. You are repeatedly exposed to the atmosphere that gives you anxiety in varying levels of severity while practicing relaxation techniques.
The goal: to neutralize you so the situation no longer induces anxiety (or as much of it).
Example: Bob is scared of spiders. Bob starts by first thinking about spiders until that action no longer induces anxiety for him. Then he starts looking at pictures of spiders until it doesn’t make him anxious anymore. Then he starts holding a tightly closed jar with a spider inside. Then he holds a spider in his hand. This continues until Bob no longer gets anxious with spiders.
Now I’m gonna sound real therapist-y on this one, but bear with me! This is one of the most legit and not often discussed points ever.
So, you have Panic Disorder or you often experience panic attacks. What do those symptoms feel like? It’s hard to breathe, your heart is racing, you’re potentially dizzy, and blood is pumping through you like crazy.
Sounds awfully similar to what doing cardio feels like, right? This is why doing cardio is actually one of the best ways of doing exposure therapy for Panic Disorder.
I personally had to live through this because for me, one of my most anxiety-inducing situations is not being able to breathe and my heart feeling like it’s about to pop out of my chest.
So your girl had to literally, in therapy, jog up and down the stairs repeatedly until I was out of breath with my heart about to explode.
And this happened during multiple sessions.
I had to do this so that I could become comfortable with those sensations, and learn that they are not a threat. Slowly, I became a lot better and no longer had immediate panic attacks the moment I felt breathless.
So if you’re like me, try working out! It mimics the physical symptoms so you can get used to them while also keeping you healthy and bettering your mood. A win-win, albeit it is a hard one.
Tip Alert:
Despite what I said, I’m not “cured”. Those sensations are still is a trigger for me, which is why I have to be incredibly mindful when I exercise.
I do this by taking breaks when needed so I can stabilize my breathing and calm down my heart. Also, I terminate workouts early if I’m feeling it’s too much, and I exercise alone at home so I can take my time and do what I need without affecting others.
On top of that, I use the coping techniques I learned in therapy if I ever do end up having a PA.
I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. Doing exposure therapy is absolute hell. But that’s to be expected since you’re doing things that make you panicky.
However, I do promise that if you are consistent and keep trying, it gets better. You may not be necessarily “cured” (like me), but you will learn tools and coping strategies to get you through it. I would not be where I am had I not gone through exposure therapy. It is not a waste of time, I assure you.
Exercise Gets Bad Energy Out of Your System (Anxiety and Mood Benefits)
When I’m anxious, I’m jittery and have a lot of adrenaline pumping through me. If I’m depressed, I tend to harbor a lot of anger and frustration. A great way for me to get rid of all this energy in a positive way is by exercising.
I will never forget when I was going through a terrible life experience and had so much pent up anxiety, anger, sadness, frustration, and heartache, and then I stepped onto an elliptical (my first exercise in months).
I literally was going at it for maybe 3 hours y’all! You can’t make these things up! There was so much negative energy bottled up inside me that I was able to use an elliptical for 3 hours when I can barely do 30 minutes of cardio normally.
Afterward, I felt like I had dropped 60 pounds of weight off my shoulders. It felt SO much better. When I don’t exercise on the regular, I definitely notice myself carrying a lot more negative energy than I normally do.
And maybe you are too, but don’t even know it! I wasn’t aware that I had so much bottled up until I stepped on that elliptical and went off. So give it a try, maybe you had more energy you needed to get out than you thought.
Good Physical Health Always Means Better Mental Health (Anxiety and
Mood benefits)
The mind and the body are absolutely related. While exercising and a good diet may not cure your mental illness(es), it can definitely help set you up for that path.
Having your physical body well-nourished and taken care of allows a clean slate for you to heal mentally and spiritually that much more effectively.
On top of that, when we don’t eat healthily or exercise, we usually feel gross and insecure about ourselves which leads to a decline in our mental health.
Furthermore, certain foods/drinks can make your mental illness symptoms worse. For example, drinking alcohol (a depressant drug) when you’re already depressed. Or, drinking caffeine (a stimulant drug) when you’re already anxious and antsy.
Or, did you know certain mental health conditions are related to physical conditions?
There is evidence to show that an under-active thyroid gland can lead to symptoms of depression, as well as some evidence for lack of Gaba production correlating with anxiety disorders.
So ensuring you’re getting all the nutrients and supplements you and staying away from a diet that will worsen your condition is vital. Not just for your physical health, but also your mental health.
And that’s it!
This has been my round-up of the biggest benefits of exercising for anxiety and mood. I hope this list has inspired you to try giving exercise and a healthy diet a go. Let me know if there’s anything you do to motivate yourself to exercise or eat healthy. I’d love to hear your tips!
All my love,
T