Have you ever suffered from anxiety? Anxiety is a problem that is more common than most people think. A study reported that 1-in-3 teenagers between the ages of thirteen to eighteen and 1-in-5 Americans over eighteen have suffered from a chronic anxiety disorder in the past year. According to a study by the National College Health Association, 63 percent of students experienced extreme anxiety in their first year of college. Anxiety can have a detrimental effect on a person’s health. Anxiety raises a person’s risk of developing other psychiatric conditions like depression, which may also increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular issues and diabetes. The results from a study revealed that persons with anxiety are less active and typically do not engage in intense physical activity.
Exercise is considered one of the best non-medical options for anxiety treatment. According to research, aerobic exercise is beneficial for preventing and treating anxiety. Taking a quick walk or participating in a dance class can effectively treat chronic anxiety sufferers. These exercises are also beneficial for those feeling excessively anxious or frightened about an upcoming exam, an important presentation, or a crucial meeting.
Read on to learn how exercise and physical activity can reduce anxiety symptoms.
Role of Exercise in Anxiety Treatment
In modern medicine, there is no disputing the benefits of exercise on human health. This is why exercise is frequently the first step in lifestyle changes for avoiding and managing chronic diseases. It is advisable for all healthy people to engage in 30 minutes of moderate- to high-intensity exercise at least five days a week, according to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Discussed below are some ways exercise can help reduce the symptoms of anxiety
- Distraction: One way exercise can help reduce anxiety symptoms is by taking your attention away from whatever is making you anxious. Physical activity reduces muscle tension which lowers the body’s contribution to anxiety.
- Release of neurotransmitters and endocannabinoids: Exercise can also alter brain chemistry due to increased heart rate. This causes the release and increased availability of key neurochemicals with anti-anxiety actions. These chemicals include serotonin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and endocannabinoids. Exercise also stimulates the frontal lobes of the brain, which help govern the amygdala, our body’s natural reaction against actual or perceived threats to our existence. Regular exercise increases resources that strengthen toughness against turbulent emotions.
- Self-efficacy: According to the “social cognitive theory,” there is a significant relationship between anxiety arousal and one’s self-efficacy regarding their capacity to control future risks. People with strong self-efficacy, who have confidence in their capacity to handle prospective risks, do not constantly worry and have less anxiety. Exercise has been hypothesized to boost self-efficacy by building experiences of successfully dealing with the stress of exercise. As fitness levels rise, the person experiences feedback such as increased endurance, decreased pain, and increased duration capabilities, among others. This has the resultant effect of increasing selfefficacy and decreasing anxiety symptoms.
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Reducing anxiety sensitivity: “Anxiety sensitivity” refers to the propensity to misread anxiety-related feelings with the expectation that they will have terrible psychological, social, or physical consequences. Numerous studies have demonstrated the value of brief aerobic exercise in lowering anxiety sensitivity. A
person with increased anxiety sensitivity can become more tolerant of the physical symptoms they are afraid of, such as rapid heartbeat. This exposure demonstrates that while the feared physiological feelings may be inconvenient, they do not pose a major hazard.. - Alterations in physiological activity: The human body generally adapts and undergoes physiological changes due to regular exercise. Regular aerobic exercise has been linked to decreased sympathetic nervous system activity and HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) reactivity. When it comes to creating adaptive reactions to mental and physical stimuli, the HPA axis is essential. The levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) change due to acute stress and glucocorticoids are produced in excess. Chronic stress, as found in PTSD, has been linked to decreased peripheral cortisol levels and glucocorticoid receptor activity,increasing central feedback sensitivity. Preclinical studies revealed that voluntary exercise changes how the anterior pituitary and hypothalamus release corticotrophin- releasing factor (CRF) and ACTH, respectively. According to these results, physical activity can alter how the HPA axis responds to stress and anxiety in people
