Why exercise is the safest way for you to reduce your anxiety

( Natural News ) Feeling anxious about something? Try exercising. Multiple studies have shown a link between the two – from psychological theories suggesting that exercise improves self-efficacy and social interaction to clinical trials that reveal a positive relationship between exercise and anxiety prevention. But why exactly is exercise a great way to reduce feelings of anxiety ? Here are just some of the evidence-backed reasons to explain this benefit. It can greatly reduce a person’s stress levels. The idea of exercising while you’re already stressed out from being anxious might seem counterintuitive, but experts say that exercise can indeed bring about relaxation – if done in a controlled, graded fashion. In particular, it can bring down adrenaline and cortisol levels – dubbed as the body’s stress hormones – and can boost the production of endorphins, natural chemicals that function as the body’s painkillers and mood elevators. A review in American Family Physician noted that aerobic exercise significantly reduced symptoms in people with anxiety and panic disorders. It does take some getting used to: The first steps are usually the hardest, but it gets easier as you begin to tolerate exercise and start getting into shape. It contributes to improvements in behavior. Regular exercise can benefit a person physically, but its behavioral and emotional benefits are things that should also be considered. A person who regularly exercises will see noticeable changes in their appearance, which can improve their self-image. Exercise also instills a sense of discipline, mastery, and self-control, which can help a person achieve other important goals. Studies on how exercise improves a person’s behavior have been promising. In a 2008 study in the journal Depression and Anxiety , researchers found that regularly working out could help a person who’s prone to anxiety to better control their behavior […]

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