Anxiety & Benefits of Exercise: How Exercise Lowers Anxiety
Reduce Anxiety without Drugs
Exercise has excellent benefits for overall health and well-being, but did you know it’s also a natural remedy for anxiety? Anxiety affects millions of people worldwide, and the effects can be devastating. Many people end up on anti-anxiety drugs that cause negative side effects, and still find that they struggle with times of anxiousness. If you’re one of those people, why not consider an anxiety relief exercise program instead of medication? You’ll find that you have less anxiety, and a better attitude toward life when you commit to a daily workout. Exercise helps us sleep better at night, leads to a healthier self image, and improves our overall health, all of which work to reduce stress and anxiety.
How to Start an Anxiety Relief Exercise Program
To reduce anxiety through exercise, start by obtaining a doctor’s o.k. Some medical conditions that need prompt treatment can cause anxiety, so you’ll need to make sure you’re healthy enough to work out. Once that’s out of the way, you’re ready to get started on your exercise routine. Choose a type of exercise that promotes relaxation. Some good ones are tai chi, yoga, or pilates. These forms of exercise are well known to reduce anxiety and help you deal with stress. Your goal is to incorporate one or more of these destressing workouts into your exercise program. These can be done in the evenings to help you relax before bed on a daily basis. Aim for 30 minutes, most days of the week.
In addition, 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio should be performed at least 4 days per week. This also reduces anxiety and stress, resulting in greater relaxation. If you stick to this anxiety relief exercise program, you should notice a decrease in anxiety within a week. Unlike a lot of the benefits of exercise that require weeks and months to see results, anxiety relief through exercise shouldn’t take long at all. If you still have an uncomfortable level of anxiety after adhering to an anxiety relief exercise program for several weeks, consult your doctor for a further investigation of what could be causing your anxiety, and the measures that need to be taken to reduce it.
