Best Exercises for Anxiety Relief

If you are struggling with stress and anxiety, they might not be mutually exclusive. It is possible that they are linked, either with stress occurring first or anxiety occurring first. Here are some signs that your current stress is related to your anxiety.

You Have the Fight or Flight Response

A really common sign that the stress you are experiencing is also related to anxiety is when you have the fight or flight response. This is something that happens frequently with people who have anxiety or panic attack disorders. You begin to get fearful or are in the middle of a panic attack, which leads you to want to escape wherever you are. If you can’t escape, such as if you are driving on the highway, it can start causing a lot of panic. This same response also occurs with people who are under a lot of stress, wanting to avoid people or situations. It can definitely be a sign that your stress is from your anxiety.

Your Body is Reacting with Pain or Discomfort

Another thing that both stress and anxiety can cause is changes in how your body feels, often resulting in various types of pain and discomfort. You might find that you are suddenly getting a lot of headaches or your migraines are happening more often, you have nausea or are vomiting, or you are suddenly having a lot of joint pain. These types of pains might not be physical, but from your emotional turmoil from both stress and anxiety.

You Have Difficulty Focusing

Do you find that when you are stressed about something, just focusing on any one thing is hard to do? This is not only a sign of being under a lot of stress, but can also show a link between stress and anxiety. People who are anxious or have a mental health disorder find that focusing on something like work or schoolwork is difficult because those anxious feelings overwhelm their minds. This is actually a good sign that you might want to get extra help for your stress and anxiety.

You Are Having Trouble Sleeping or Eating

Yes, your stress and anxiety can both cause issues with sleeping and eating habits. These can happen exclusively as well, but if you have stress and a history of anxiety, then having insomnia and lack of appetite could be a sign that the two things are linked.

3 Best Exercises for Stress Relief

You may have heard that exercise is good for many things, including your stress related issues and stress relief. Though you have probably heard this, you may be wondering how it can help your specific stress. The key to remember is that everyone has different reactions to stress. Some people become quiet while others become aggressive. Here are some of the best exercises for stress relief based on your reaction to the stress and how well the exercise can help with not only the stress relief but the way you react to the stress as a whole.

Kickboxing

If you deal with stress, or are dealing with your stress, with an aggressive viewpoint then kickboxing may be the ideal exercise for you. It is very physical and allows you to get out your aggression on a practice dummy or bag. Let's face it, we all have that moment where a physical display of emotion would make us feel better but we can't do that legally. This is the next best thing and will help work your muscle groups as well as help with balance and stress relief. Most gyms or martial arts studios do offer some form of kickboxing or boxing classes.

Running

Running helps you drop weight, stay flexible, and most of all it helps you think. You are alone for the run, in most cases, and you can focus on your issues and pushing the stress out of your body through the run. You can do this at an indoor track, on a treadmill, or just outside. Running is not for everyone, but if you love the feeling of pushing yourself until all the stress is out and you are physically exhausted, then this may be the ideal option for you. This is especially ideal for people who want to be alone to deal with their stress.

Yoga

It goes without saying that yoga helps with stress. There are many poses you can do to release stress and toxins from your system. Yoga is an exercise to reach for when you want a calming way of removing the stress from your day and your body. You may not feel aggression towards to the stress, but you still want it removed in a healthy and soothing way. That is what this can do for you. Yoga can also help with blood pressure and regulating your breathing to help calm your entire body.

Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. Consult with your healthcare professional to design an appropriate exercise prescription.

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If you’re finding yourself stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious call or email me for a free, no obligation, consultation. Remember, you deserve to have the life you want! heather@setsailtherapy.com 317-648-9295.