Who am I?

Hi - I'm Mary and my blog is about how I finally overcame my panic attacks after years of anxiety.

I want to share my thoughts about the treatment that finally worked for me and to let people know that they're not alone and that there is hope!

Love, Mary x

Exercise and anxiety

Exercise is a great way to reduce overall feelings of general anxiety.

Because panic attacks are linked to our natural “fight or flight” mechanism (see previous post Good to know – anxious doesn’t mean crazy!) the symptoms we experience during an attack are similar to those we experience during  vigorous exercise:

  • increased heart rate
  • rapid breathing
  • sweating
  • tightness in the chest
  • nausea (if we push ourselves hard)

Not only does exercise help us get used to the sensations we feel during a panic attack, it also makes us fitter and better able to cope if we do have an attack. 

Once we finish exercising we naturally return to a relaxed state.  Regular exercise lets us get used to returning to this relaxed state from a state of exertion.  This in turn gives us the confidence, if we do experience a panic attack, to realize that  i) we can cope with the sensations, and  ii) our body will soon return to a normal state.

Not only does exercise help us cope if we do have an attack, it also helps to improve our mood and reduce our general level of anxiety.

This is because of how exercise effects our hormone levels.  Regular exercise helps us “burn off” our stress hormones.  Plus, exercise leads to the body producing “endorphines” – hormones that give us a natural high and help us to feel calm and relaxed.  In other words it’s a double win!

If you’re new to exercising what should you aim to do?  The first step is to get a fitness check either from your doctor or from your local health club.  They should be able to give you guidance and tell you if there’s anything you should avoid doing.

Beyond that, it’s really important to:

  1. find something that you enjoy
  2. start gently and slowly build up
  3. aim for 20 minutes three times a week to begin with
  4. stick with it until it becomes a habit (this usually takes around a month)

1.  Find something you enjoy.  Exercise can be anything that gets you moving and gets your heart rate up.  It could be walking, yoga, dancing, swimming, riding a bike, joining an exercise class, gardening, going to the gym – pretty much anything.

The important part is that you find something you enjoy so that it’s easy to stick with.  For a lot of people exercise classes or dance classes add a social element, which makes exercise something they postively look forward to.

2.  Start gently and slowly build up.  This gives your body time to adapt to the new demands you’re putting on it.  This can help you avoid any strains you might get if you pushed yourself too hard.  It also means that exercise can be gentle and something you enjoy as you gradually improve your fitness.

3.  Aim for 20 minutes three times a week.  Don’t try to do too much to begin with.  The important thing is to do something on a regular basis – you’ll always be able to build up to doing more as your fitness improves.

4.  Stick with it until it becomes a habit.  Exercise should be a natural part of your routine, not something that feels like a chore.  As you start exercising keep reminding yourself of the benefits (reduced anxiety, improved fitness).  Usually it takes people a month to establish a new habit so stick with it.  It should soon become easier and more enjoyable.