Effects of exercise on stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety are both normal, but an excessive amount of either can be detrimental. Luckily, there is a simple, safe, and effective way to deal with all the stress and anxiety that might be encountered in everyday life. This solution is exercise. We all know that exercise is good for the body’s physical state, but exercise has also been shown to have many positive psychological effects as well.
Feeling stressed about an upcoming test? Don't worry, it may be as simple as engaging in 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercises to relieve all that tension. During exercise, the body’s stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, are produced at a reduced rate. Conversely, the brain increases production in chemicals called endorphins which serve to relax the body improve mood. This physiological response can be beneficial as reduced stress levels can increase cognitive function, improve alertness levels, and boost academic performance.
For this same reasons that physical activity reduces levels of stress, regular exercise has been shown to have a positive effect in treating symptoms of anxiety disorders and depression. Regular doses of physical activity has been shown to reduce the reactivity of areas of the brain that are associated with feelings of anxiety, such as the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system.
