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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 |
I can definitely relate. I can have pretty intense anxiety and depression. Exercising, talking to others (the right people) about what’s going on in my head, and trying to keep my body healthy really makes a difference in how I feel and lets me cope with my depression and anxiety naturally.
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka, That explains a lot! 🙂 We all go thru depressions. So it’s going to help quite a few folks to talk about the subject and how to dealing with it. I’m sorry to hear you have to deal with this. When we first “met” I was dealing with my Mom’s death and I was depressed all the time. It was so bad I thought of suicide! –Chris
Private Member |
Thank you for writing about your experience with anxiety. Your courage to speak about this issue is admirable. My personal experience talking to others about my anxiety did not work so well. I hope that the more it is discussed publicly the more people will accept and support those that struggle with depression and anxiety. Thank you for making me feel less alone 🙂
Private Member |
Zuzana, thank you so much for this post. I have experienced panic/anxiety on and off throughout my life. It got really bad at one time so I had to result into taking medication and I am still on it to this day. Even though on medication I still suffer from stress and recently had to see a Retinologist due to a leak of fluid behind my retina causing vision problems in my left eye. Come to find out it may be stress related and caused by cortisone being released from stress which has caused my eye issue. It was quite interesting having you mention that in your post. It is hopeful that in time this will heal by itself. I have started to work out again and have gotten all your DVD’s which I am so excited about. Thank you so much for opening your heart and sharing your experience. It will help many people.
Private Member |
Thank you for sharing this with us Z. I am 24 and have been suffering from cyclical depression and anxiety since I was 14. I even attempted suicide when I was 20. I’ve tried tons of drugs. I found your workouts back in 2010 and since then I’ve reclaimed my body and my health. No drug in the world does what exercise and good eating does in terms of mental health, in my opinion. I’m really glad you’re getting help as you see fit and I wish you all the best. You’ve literally changed my life.
Private Member |
Hey Zuz, thanks for sharing this with us. I’m studying psychology, and in one of my classes we talk about motivation, depression and anxiety; and I have the same opinion about medication, I hate taking pills, and I also think exercise, a good diet, and a life without the regular rutine can make the difference; but my teacher told me that in the worst cases medication is the only solution, but it has to go with terapy. So I’m very glad and proud to read that you combine exercise with terapy, and that’s what I would love to do when I finish school, help people like you do with exercise and therapy.
Keep doing what you do, and remain strong. Thank you very much for everything.
Private Member |
Private Member |
thanks to ALL of you for sharing shamelessly all those things people usually hide. I do think it HELPS to talk too…
Private Member |
It’s such a great coincidence that you mention this today. I’ve been prone to quite a lot of anxiety these days cus I feel like I’m losing control of my life. Introducing exercise in my life is really helping me. Like focusing for a few minutes on something else then seeing the slow but certain transformation of my body and mental state gives me the reassurance that there’s at least one thing in my life that I can still control.
Thanks for sharing Z.
Private Member |
Hi,
Thought i’d add I completely agree with you that anxiety and depression are all a part of life and that you need the ups with the downs. I’ve been more down than up recently due to finishing my PhD, spending A LOT of time alone writing my thesis and dealing with moving/getting a job/dealing with the real world. I have no idea what I do without exercise, I can feel so hopeless, persuade myself to run to the gym and by the time I get back I have a completely new perspective. It’s like a form of meditation.
Thanks for your workouts – they’re brilliant!