The Link Between Fitness and Anxiety | Balkan Health Writers

Posted on Dec 3, 2012 in Fitness

Abnormal anxiety levels, or anxiety 'disorders' as they are often called, are a phenomenon suffered by millions of people the world over. While there are many subcategories of the so-called disorders, they all have one shared characteristic, namely the sufferer is subjected to physical and mental symptoms of high anxiety in situations where it would normally not be considered appropriate for someone without an anxiety disorder to feel anxious. It is my belief that there is a strong link between anxiety disorders and the lifestyle of the sufferer. In particular, this article will discuss the link between anxiety and the expenditure of energy (exercise) and in doing so will argue that a proper exercise routine is hugely beneficial to sufferers of anxiety.

Anxiety is commonly referred to in the medical world as the 'fight or flight' response. It is the human body's natural response to what it deems to be a dangerous situation. It is called 'fight or flight' because in essence the response is designed to prepare the body to literally fight or to run away. Along time ago, when mankind were hunters and gatherers, the anxious response would be triggered relatively rarely in comparison to the frequency with which it is triggered in the modern world.

This article will discuss the link between fitness and its effects on anxiety levels and concludes that greater fitness levels results in lower anxiety and vice versa.
CC image courtesy of familymwr

Back then, it was mainly just situations that were inherently dangerous, for example being chased by a wild animal, that would cause high anxiety. In such situations the anxious response would trigger, releasing adrenaline into the person's system in preparation to fight or to flee. Note that whichever action the person chooses to perform, it would be a physical activity which would expend the nervous energy produced by the fight or flight response.

Fast forward to the present day where the types of situations that trigger the anxious response are virtually infinite. Life is a lot more complicated in the modern world and the situations which trigger anxiety are not limited to attacks by wild animals. We live in a constant state of worry about bills, taxes, finances, employment, children, crime ? the list is endless. However, the problem is not only that the anxious response is triggered more often in the modern world, but also that the circumstances under which the anxious response is triggered don't cause us to expend the anxious energy produced, through any kind of physical activity, such as fighting or running away. Anxiety over financial problems, for example, while it may cause the release of adrenaline in one's system, doesn't typically cause that person to use up that anxious energy. As a result that nervous energy remains in the system and over time continues to build up as the person is exposed to more and more stressful situations.

This is how anxiety disorders develop. As adrenaline levels continue to build up in the body, the person naturally becomes more inclined to feel anxious and will begin to feel anxious even in situations where he ought to feel relaxed. Indeed this is why anxiety experts will often refer to anxiety disorders as being 'habitual'. The body becomes so accustomed to feeling anxious that it adopts this anxious state as the norm. A vicious cycle ensues as the sufferer becomes anxious in more and more inappropriate situations, which leads to further release of adrenaline thus perpetuating the disorder. This is explained in more detail at http://naturalhealthreport.net

This is why it is so important to have a regular exercise regime. It is well known that the best way to eliminate stress hormones within the body is to exercise, which makes sense considering that exercise is a physical activity which expends energy. We need to expend the anxious energy that builds up in our systems through the exposure to the constant stressors of the modern world described above and exercise is the most effective way of doing this.

About Rob Walters

Rob writes for Natural Health Report, which is a health blog established to inform its readers of natural ways of staying healthy.

Source: http://balkanwriters.com/the-link-between-fitness-and-anxiety/

beezow doo doo zopittybop bop bop cordova demaryius thomas transtar 316 william daley truffles