Whether you suffer from a clinical anxiety or depressive disorder or simply feel stressed out or down, exercise can help. One session of exercise can help reduce your anxiety for hours afterwards, according to the Counseling and Psychological Services department at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Aerobic exercise can also quickly improve your mood and can even help prevent a relapse of depression.
Anxiety
Anxiety can put a damper on your life and even cause physical illness. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine to tamp down the stress you are experiencing. Exercise can help reduce muscle tension, rapidly metabolize adrenaline and provide a release for negative feelings. Overall, this results in a feeling of well-being. Start an exercise program slowly when you suffer from anxiety, as doing too much too soon can give you a revved-up feeling, which is the opposite feeling you are working toward.
Depression
Depression can sap your will to get out of bed in the morning. Take baby steps toward being able to exercise, though, and you may find that your depression lessens considerably. Try wearing comfortable clothes and making a promise to yourself that you will step outside for a short walk of only five minutes. Before you know it, you will be reaping the benefits of exercise. According to researcher Michael Otto at Boston University, exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication in relieving symptoms. The boost in mood that you get from exercise can be immediate as well.
Types
The most effective exercises for reducing anxiety and depression give your body an aerobic workout. Try an exercise that will get your heart rate up and that you will have fun doing. Nothing beats depression like getting on a bike and remembering what it felt like to ride around the neighborhood as a kid -- all while reaping the anti-anxiety and anti-depression benefits of exercising. You might also try swimming, as it in itself is a relaxing activity. Walking also relaxes many people. After you've gotten into the swing of exercise, you may want to take an enjoyable class, such as dance, yoga or tai chi.
Optimizing the Benefits
To get the most benefit from the exercise you do to reduce anxiety and depression, do it regularly. According to "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., exercise should be aerobic, performed four to five times a week for 20 to 30 minutes a session. To get the intensity needed for anxiety reduction, subtract your age from 220 and multiply the result by 0.75. For example, if you are 40 years old, you would subtract 40 from 220, with the result of 180. You would then multiply 180 by 0.75 for a result of 135 beats per minutes.
References
- "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook"; Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D.; 2005
- Boston University: Exercise -- The Other Antidepressant
- University of California at Santa Cruz: Exercise for Enhanced Mood and Well-Being
