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Anxiety And Exercise
Blog | November 16, 2018
My mindset in my younger years is different than how it is today. First of all, back then I thought that when I’d turn older, I’d be ancient, but also very wise, calm and s hundred times more confident and totally worry-free. While I don’t feel ancient, I’m not as stress-free as I thought I’d be.
Stress and anxiety are normal parts of life, just like joy and happiness. The world is full of opposites, which I believe are necessary to create balance and also meaning. What would happiness mean to you if you never experienced sadness, stress, anxiety, or any other negative emotion? Negative emotions are not necessarily bad. They guide us, teach us and protect us. You can learn a lot about yourself from your negative emotions… however, they can become a problem if they persist, creating a negative emotional imbalance resulting in stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic anxiety disorders.
I had gone through major anxiety after I turned 30 and sought out professional help for the first time in my life. Anxiety can be triggered by numerous factors and combinations including:
- Genetics
- Brain Chemistry
- Substance Abuse
- Lack of Movement/ Activity
- Medical Issues
However, it’s common for stress to build up as a result of simply getting older. It gets made up of major life changes, losses, and health problems. In my case, it was just a stress build up over time by going through major changes like divorce, moving from country to country, loss of my blog, starting a new blog, change of work environment, and starting a new relationship.
Now I see the benefits of talking to someone who can help to sort things out in your head and work through your emotions. Personally, I am strongly against taking medications for depression and anxiety, even though I know people who had a good experience with them. I am not saying that medications are bad. My belief is that they would be bad for me. I have always been cheerful and positive minded person and I would feel like I am taking the cheap way out instead of facing the challenge and coping with it in a healthy and natural way.
There is no doubt that exercise has healing effects on anxiety and depression. Besides talking to my therapist every once in a while, exercise has been the number one go-to coping strategy for me. It has not been always easy to get myself motivated to exercise, especially when I’m feeling down, but once I get started, it always makes a huge difference. I get my mood elevated immediately after a few minutes into my training and feel amazing for hours afterward. The best benefits come from intense exercises that burn away stress hormones such as cortisol while improving the release of endorphins and neurotransmitters in the brain.
So the next time you’re dealing with the blues, or need to get over a funk, try kicking your butt with a short and sweet training session. Even a brisk walk outside can help. For further guidance and structure in your routine, consider signing up for the ZGYM.
Talking more often about exercise and the positive effects it has on anxiety is something I really want to do more on my blog, because anxiety and depression is something that has affected me, people that I am close to, and millions of Americans.
Share your insight, stories, advice, and opinions in the comments below. Looking forward to reading them.
Best,
Zuzka.
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Private Member |
Wow…thank you so much for sharing and opening up Z. I have followed you for years now, and actually remembered your birthday was coming up believe it or not. You have been and always will be my personal inspiration for life. You have something special about you that not a lot of people have naturally. It’s funny that you post this because I’m in a new relationship as well, coming from divorce and I too have my share of dealing with anxiety as well. You have gone through some major changes, but you have incredible support behind you across the globe. I love everything you say and do and no one else out there can do what you do on many levels. I consider you a friend as if I know you. I sent you a quote about a year or so ago and you actually shared it on one of your posts, and I will never forget it. It really meant a lot to me that it touched you and in return maybe helped someone else out there. Keep doing what you’re doing Z..Your path is incredible. “Death is certain, Life is not”
Private Member |
Thank you so much for sharing this. I cannot tell you how I truly concur with this post. I had suffered from panic attacks, anxiety & depression and even think that I have all this medical issues going on when in my head I know that this is just stress. I started going to the gym and you are right – i felt so good after and the headaches & dizziness even the palpitations that are brought on by anxiety I learned to control. I am hoping that once I get to a routine and not overthinking, it’ll go away on it’s own.
Private Member |
Zuz, I can tell you wrote from the heart here… thank you. Many of us have been following you since your early days, cheering you on every step of the way all the while going through our own stress/anxiety/life experiences. Last year was my toughest year, but now I look back and see how rewarding it was. I wouldn’t change it for anything because its helped me become so much stronger, wiser, appreciative, and happy 🙂 The constant that remained was exercise, faith, and a positive attitude (my three side kicks in life 🙂
Private Member |
Exactly what I needed to hear today! Thanks for being such an inspiration 🙂
Private Member |
I noticed that ever since I started excercising constantly 5-6 days a week I am more energetic making me less moody and depressed. I’ve never been diagnosed but I know I had mood swings and it just wasn’t pretty. Thanks for your motivation and words and of course all the great workouts. xo
Private Member |
Great post Zuz, I suffer PMS and exercise help me a lot. In fact, I didn´t Know it but i started to feel so well after exercise that I wouldn´t like my previous mental/physical state. Thanks a lot!
Private Member |
Hi Z, I thought I’d share with you my experiences with exercise, stress, anxiety/panic attacks, and depression. I too am in my 30’s and have been training and exercising for the most part of my life. I would say that I am extremely fit person that trains very very hard everyday and never had experienced any type of anxiety or depression in my life at least until last summer when I over-trained myself and got severely injured and could not workout for several months. Somewhere along that time I developed pretty bad panic attacks to the point that I had to go to the ER a couple of times (my chest was beating hard, I difficulty breathing, and I basically felt like I was going to die and had to call 911). At that time I did not know what was happening to me. I did not know I was developing anxiety. I had all kinds of tests, even went to see a therapist then I went to my doctor and made a mistake of taking prescription medication (which in my opinion are really bad). The medication made it very hard to do the things I enjoy doing including exercising. It took me some time get clean off the meds being that I am also in dental school made it very hard. Long story short, although I am not completely free from anxiety yet but I am back to training/exercising again. After some reflecting I can say that anxiety and depression has a lot to do with our brain chemistry (GABA, serotonin, dopamine, etc.) being messed up. I learned that exercise isn’t a cure by itself but is a tool that we can use towards healing anxiety. I know that therapy alone and “sorting things out in your life” is not enough. I know that with exercise, some sunlight, and the right balance of amino acids that affect neurotransmitters in the brain can cure your problems. You can read this article about folks like us who are ‘addicted to exercising’: http://leviclampitt.com/2011/09/23/we-are-all-addicts/
Its a good read and I happened to agree with it.
Private Member |
Hey Zuzka,
I’ve followed your blogs and workouts for the last three years and I feel this is one of the best. Nothing kills anxiety like a hard work out.
You look beautiful and I love your new site!
Thanks for all your motivation and hard work,
Robert H.
Private Member |
Anyone taking meds for GAD….antidepressants may cause you you gain weight. The problem is this, once you find the right dose it has you feeling so good again you forget about your weight. I put on almost 40lbs in 2 years before I knew…now I’m depressed because I’m 40lbs over weight, lol.
Private Member |
Thanks for the personal post 🙂 I love reading your blog.
I agree that exercise can really help improve ones mood and often help fight different mental health ailments. I would say medication should not be completely discounted though. Although we do live in an age of over-prescription, and I don’t think medication should be a first resort, I do not feel that it is necessarily the ‘cheap way out’. Some people have a very real need to use medication and for them, it helps them function at a level most of us take for granted. There is stigma associated with mental health and although being cautious about medication is necessary, we must be open to the fact that some people rely on it for their livelihood.