5 Exercises That Can Help You Deal With Your Anxiety
Anxiety is truly the worst.
But just because you deal with anxious thoughts and feelings doesn't mean they have to control your life.
If you're looking for natural ways to ease your worried mind, keep scrolling for five exercises that can help you deal with your anxiety.
Running
Exercise in general can help to reduce some of your anxiety symptoms. When you get your body moving, you can expel some of that nervous energy and boost the happiness hormones in your brain, improving your overall mood. Running in particular can have positive impacts on your emotional state. It boosts your levels of serotonin and norepinephrine, the hormones that cause you to feel happy. In addition, you're demanding quite a bit of your body when you run, allowing you to take your mind off of whatever's bothering you, if only temporarily.
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An Outdoor Hike
Sometimes easing your worried brain just requires a change of scenery. Cheesy as it sounds, fresh air and a little Vitamin D can go a long way towards improving your mood. An outdoor hike or even just a walk might be what you need to lessen some of your anxiety. You get your body moving, focus on something outside of your own head and experience the calming effects of nature—there really aren't any downsides.
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Yoga
Ah, yoga—one of the most calming exercises out there. Yoga is amazing for anxiety. It forces you to slow down, take note of your breath and really get in touch with your body. Different levels can challenge your muscles in different ways, but the overall focus is the same—a time to be mindful and promote harmony between your body and your mind. Anxiety often functions on worrying about the future or ruminating on past events that you can't change. Yoga stops that endless cycle by interrupting your brain's pattern and forcing you to focus on the present moment, ultimately calming your uneasy mind.
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Boxing
Much like yoga, boxing focuses on a sense of coordination between your body and your mind. It requires your focused attention, allowing you to escape from your fears and ground yourself in the present moment. In addition, it allows you to hit things. Calming your mind, expelling your energy and getting out some of your frustration? Sign us up, please.
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Dance
Some anxieties are best cured through good old fashioned fun. Sometimes anxiety doesn't have to be the monster controlling your every thought and movement, but it makes you uncomfortable all the same. Dance can help you shake off those fears and embrace a sense of positivity. While anxiety tells you that everything is going to go wrong, embracing a sense of optimism and fun might be what you need to shake off those unfounded worries. Next time you're feeling anxious, put on your favorite song and dance around your room. You might find that it greatly improves your uneasy state.
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Still trying to find an exercise that works for you? Click HERE to learn more about hip-hop yoga, the exercise everyone needs to try.