Exercise really does help. It is not going to cure you, it is not going to make all the difficult and horrible thoughts that go with anxiety go away, it will not even make any of the symptoms go away completely. But what it does do is make you feel better for a few moments a day and can make some of the symptoms of a panic attack easier to deal with.
The science bit is that regular exercise speeds up your metabolism which means your body uses things up quicker. So with a faster metabolism, when adrenaline is released during a panic attack, the body should be able to get rid of it quicker therefore reducing the length and strength of the attack. Exercise also releases extra endorphins which make you feel happier. If you are severely depressed it is not going to make you see sunshine all the tim,e but it does make you feel better enough to see hope so you can tackle some of the symptoms in other ways. In my experience the better you feel the stronger this effect is so once you start keep going.
From a personal perspective what exercise does is give me a sense of achievement. When I struggled to leave the house, going for a 25 minute run meant I had actually got out of the house. Running for me is ideal because I can go at any time, it is free, it only takes up the time to run (I don’t have to get anywhere) and I don’t have to be with other people to do it.
I’m sure that if you are reading this and are struggling so much with anxiety that you can’t leave the house very much you are thinking this task seems impossible but here are my tips for getting some exercise:
Whilst I will focus mainly on running, the exercise doesn’t have to be this. If leaving the house is too much try a work out at home by walking or running up the stairs. You could also do a dvd – I did a bit or Zumba when I really couldn’t face going out. As long as you sustain the exercise for at least 25 minutes each time.
Choose a route that is close to home. When I first started I running I would literally run around the block twice so I was never a few minutes walk from home. As you feel better you may want to extend the distance from home. If it is easier for you, ask someone to go with you – the exercise will benefit them too!
Choose a time to suit you. I used to go early in the morning when it was dark. Partly because I had no time in the day as I was looking after my son but also because there was no one around to see me. It also meant I did not have all day to talk myself out of it. I always take my dog at these times so it is safer.
If you don’t like the sound of your breathing or don’t want to think too much, listen to music. This means you can’t hear yourself as much. I have a playlist I use especially which I know all the words to so I can sing along in my head then I don’t have to think.
It doesn’t matter how fast you go. Some days I am really slow because I don’t really want to go or am already feeling anxious. This is okay. You are not in training for a big race; you are doing this for you, so as long as you are slightly out of breath it doesn’t matter. If you are running for the first time you may want to try 1 minute walk 1 minute run and keep repeating.
You need to Exercise 5 to 6 times a week, doing something that gets you out of breath, to feel the effects of exercise on anxiety. I always did a bit of running but to overcome the anxiety of running itself, I made sure I did it almost every day. Otherwise I would put it off and when I was really anxious (when I probably needed it the most) I didn’t go at all.
Starting a regular exercise programme is not easy, you have to fit it in and be brave enough to commit but it is worth it. When you know you can’t go on like this any more this is an easy way to begin recovery today. For me running has had the most accumulative effect on my anxiety and it is something I can continue to do and sometimes I even enjoy it now. There are still day when I don’t feel like going. If I feel a bit anxious my brain says “don’t go incase there is something wrong with you and you make it worse”. It is at these times that I stay close to home and don’t go very fast but I make sure I go because deep down I know this is when I need it the most. 98% of the time I feel better after the run anyway.
I hope this has been helpful to anyone reading. Please leave a message if you have any questions or tips of your own.
Related articles
- The Limits of Anxiety (ninepaths.com)
- Curing anxiety with exercise – cycle to and from the pharmacy, no purchase necessary (irishcentral.com)
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