Exercise and Anxiety: Why We Should All Be Exercising Regularly

In Australia, anxiety is the most common mental health condition, affecting on average 1 in 4 people (Beyond Blue). Although most may not perceive it as “normal”, the statistics clearly highlight that anxiety is a common occurrence.

It has become common knowledge that exercise has immensely positive affects on mental health, with this, it would be logical to commence structured training to ideally attenuate anxiety and provide a rather organic avenue for positive change, both physically and mentally.

The science behind it:

A paper by Anderson and Shivakumar (2013) succinctly explains the link between the endogenous opioid system and exercise, and how this can play a key role in positive mood and emotional responses.

It is hypothesised that positive increases in mood and a reduction in anxiety following an acute bout of exercise is a result of the release, and binding of, beta-endorphins to their receptor sites in the brain.

As the above mentioned paper discusses, it has been demonstrated that exercise increases activity of endogenous opioids in the central and peripheral nervous system, which may often be the cause for the elation experienced as a result of exercise.

Although this increase in endorphin activity may not be the sole cause for the mental health benefits shown in this study, anecdotally and pragmatically speaking, regular exercise can play a significant role in both mood state and mindset; the knock-on effects of which can provide even greater benefits.

Cardiovascular benefits associated with exercise may also assist in shifting the trend in breathing patterns during moments of significant anxiety. We must not forget that the heart is a muscle which should also be trained, and regular exercise where volume and intensity are progressively developed will allow for positive effects of cardiovascular training.

Furthermore, training will develop the ability to breathe wholly; that is, exploring the ranges to which the cardiorespiratory system functions during both inhalation and exhalation.

Where am I going with this? Well, research highlights that the way of breathing decisively influences autonomic and pain processing, and further underpins deep and slow breathing (in conjunction with relaxation) as the essential feature in the modulation of sympathetic arousal and pain perception (Busch et al, 2012).

In a nut shell:

We know that exercise influences positive mood which can play a key role in relaxation, stress management and anxiety. Furthermore, with regular exercise, we can train and enhance both cardiovascular and respiratory function and allow for better breathing ability – a tool which we can use to minimise the effects of anxiety.

Lastly, the effects of resistance training as a form of exercise are very clear: with regular resistance exercise we can develop strength and increase metabolic function, not to mention the positive mind-state associated!

Written by Performance Coach Jonathan Stahl