It might start as a little bit of worry, but anxiety has a way of growing into something much bigger and harder to deal with. Anxiety ranges from uncomfortable to debilitating. Fortunately, exercise for anxiety can minimize its harmful impact.
Why Exercise for Anxiety Works
Stress and anxiety are bad for your health, both emotionally and physically. Often, anxiety side effects include fatigue, which can make it seem like exercise is a bad idea. But exercise for anxiety actually has a very real effect.
Exercise produces endorphins, which are chemicals that act as natural painkillers. As a result, exercising:
- Makes the body less tense
- Reduces fatigue
- Improves self-esteem
- Increases the ability to sleep
Best Exercises to Relieve Anxiety
Aerobic exercise is especially helpful for reducing anxiety. Even just five minutes of aerobic activity can make a difference.
To use exercise as medicine for dealing with anxiety, we recommend:
Yoga
Stretching, deep-breathing, and holding poses are all elements of yoga. They are all aspects of relieving stress and anxiety too. Yoga classes are a great way to find your center, relax, and help your body relieve tension.
Mind-Body Workout Classes
Although yoga is a popular form of exercise for anxiety relief, there are actually several kinds of workouts that focus on the mind-body connection. Tai Chi, Pilates, and BODYFLOW are all great examples of classes that will help you work your way into anxiety relief. Small group classes can be especially helpful as the training can be more easily tailored to meet your needs.
Going Outside
Fresh air, nature, sweet views, and a little movement all have the power to refresh your body and mind. Get outside for a walk, a hike, or time playing sports with friends. If the sun is out, you’ll also be getting serotonin, which can reduce depression and feelings of panic or exhaustion.
Time in the Cardio Cinema
Aerobic activity happens when you use most of the machines you can find in our cardio cinemas. Walk, run, use the elliptical. Just get your heart rate up by moving while you get lost in one of the stories on the big screen. Or, if a movie isn’t relaxing, try using cardio machines while listening to soothing music.
Additional Anxiety Relief Strategies
On top of these exercises to relieve anxiety, incorporate other healthy strategies into your daily routine. For instance, learn about massage. There are ways to give yourself massages using a foam roller in order to effectively stretch and release tension after a workout.
Another smart strategy is to practice mindful eating. This habit helps you to slow down, which immediately benefits your mind and reduces stress levels. It also encourages healthier eating habits, which can lead to better nutritional support for a calm, healthy body and mind.
These exercises and strategies, plus sleeping well at night, are all effective ways of keeping anxiety in check.
Integrate yoga into your self-care routine. Use our FREE Yoga Transformation guide to get started.
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