Physical activity and anxiety disorder – Is there a link? 5 tips to stay physically active

Physical Activity And Anxiety Disorder – Is There A Link? 5 tips to stay physically active | Photo credit: iStock Images

Key highlights

• Put simply, fear is the brain’s response to a stressful situation

• Anxiety is often discarded as a natural emotion that can make the anxiety disorder worse

• Some common symptoms of an anxiety disorder are sweating, tremors, hyperventilation, and restlessness

New Delhi: The human brain has its unique way of reacting to certain situations, be it happy, stressful or sad. Anxiety is one of the most common emotions and is often a consequence of an alarmed brain due to a stressful or unprecedented event. While it is natural to have an occasional anxiety attack, staying in a constant state of anxiety can be a cause for concern as it could be a sign of anxiety disorders. The mental state that creates an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety is known as an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety and Physical Activity – The Link

A study recently published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, entitled “Physical Activity Is Associated With Lower Long-Term Incidence of Anxiety in a Population-Based, Large-Scale Study,” found that the risk of developing anxiety disorders was found to be significant was low in those who followed a physically active lifestyle compared to those who did not. Around 400,000 skiers of both sexes took part in the study. The main highlights of the study are:

• A 60 percent reduced risk of developing an anxiety disorder has been observed in physically active people.
• The reduced risk applied to both men and women.
• In male skiers, no influence of performance level on the reduced risk of an anxiety disorder was found.
• The risk of developing an anxiety disorder was twice as high in high-performance female skiers as in low-performing female skiers.
• The results may not be absolute as other factors contribute to the anxiety and its symptoms.

Hear it from the experts

Authors Martine Svensson and Tomas Deierborg said, “We found that the group with a more physically active lifestyle had an almost 60% lower risk of developing anxiety disorders over a follow-up period of up to 21 years.”

“Our results suggest that the relationship between anxiety symptoms and exercise behavior may not be linear. Exercise behavior and anxiety symptoms are likely to be influenced by genetics, psychological factors, and personality traits, confounding factors that could not be investigated in our cohort. Studies are needed to examine the driving factors behind these differences between men and women in terms of extreme exercise behavior and how it affects the development of anxiety, “added Svensson.

Expressing the need for further studies to validate the results, the authors said, “We think this cohort of cross-country skiers is a good indicator of an active lifestyle, but there might also be a component that skiers are more outdoors.”

“Studies that focus on specific sports may find slightly different results and magnitudes of associations, but this is most likely due to other important factors that affect mental health that you cannot easily control in research analysis,” added she added.

Physical activity tips

Here are some effective tips that can encourage physical activity:

1. Include family and friends in your exercise routine to increase motivation, ensure a way to stay constant, and maximize exercise results.
2. Avoid alcohol or excessive caffeine consumption as this can damage the internal clock and leave the body in a constant state of fatigue.
3. Try to stay away from a sedentary lifestyle as it can become a harmful habit and lead to the development of mobility problems, weak bones and muscles, obesity and being overweight.
4. To avoid ending up with an unhealthy lifestyle from staying at home, look for home-friendly exercises like yoga and pilates and low-intensity cardio.
5. To stay physically active in a fun way, you can choose from a variety of outdoor sports and play with your family and friends.

Disclaimer: The tips and suggestions mentioned in this article are for general information only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or nutritionist before starting any fitness program or changing your diet.

source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/11/physical-activity-and-anxiety-disorder-is-there-a-link-5-tips-to-stay-physically-active/