A racing heart. Dizziness. Trembling. These are just a few of the symptoms you may experience during a panic attack. Panic attacks can be frightening, particularly when your symptoms mirror those of a heart attack. You may have panic disorder if you have several attacks over a period of time. This condition affects about 6 million adults in the United States every year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Incorporating exercise into your daily schedule can reduce or eliminate the panic attacks associated with this disorder.
Causes
Your body instinctively reacts to danger by increasing your heart rate and slowing bodily functions not needed in a hazardous situation, such as digestion. You experience many of the same changes during a panic attack, including rapid breathing, sweating and feelings of doom. What's not clear is what makes the body's fight-or-flight response activate when you are not in danger. Your level of stress, how you think and perceive, and how your brain functions are possible causes. Having panic attacks may also have a genetic component.
Effects
A panic attack in itself is not dangerous. The fear of having another panic attack can have serious effects on your ability to enjoy day-to-day living. You may isolate yourself to avoid having an attack around others. In some cases, your fear can develop into a phobia of being in public or unfamiliar places, called agoraphobia. The psychological and emotional ramifications of panic disorder can lead to depression and affect other areas of your life including work, school and your relationships.
Benefits of Exercise
You may not consider exercise a priority if you're overwhelmed by panic attacks and their effects. Yet physical activity can be an effective method of reducing your likelihood of having future attacks. Exercise improves mood through the release of endorphins in the brain. It also can have a positive effect on your self-perception and reduce anxiety symptoms. A 2004 study in "Behaviour Research and Therapy" found that exercise reduced participants' sensitivity to the body's reaction to anxiety. Exercise was found to be a superior method of preventing panic attacks than rest, according to a study published in the "American Journal of Psychiatry" in 2005.
Aerobic Exercise
Choose aerobic exercise to combat panic attacks. Research shows that this type of exercise, which includes swimming, walking and dancing, is the most effective at reducing anxiety that contributes to panic disorder. A study in the "Journal of Psychiatric Research" published in 2009 found that aerobic exercise not only helped reduce the intensity of panic attacks but also their frequency. The 2005 study in the "American Journal of Psychiatry" showed that participants who spent 30 minutes on a treadmill were less likely to have a panic attack afterward.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health: The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America
- MayoClinic.com: Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise and Stress: Get Moving to Combat Stress
- Behaviour Research and Therapy: Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Anxiety Sensitivity
- American Journal of Psychiatry: The Acute Antipanic Activity of Aerobic Exercise
- Journal of Psychiatric Research: The Acute Antipanic and Anxiolytic Activity of Aerobic Exercise in Patients with Panic Disorder and Healthy Control Subjects
