Another study proves it: Movement is key to stress and anxiety management! Exercise does more to decrease stress and relieve anxiety than medication. Here are a few pointers to get started.
Looking to decrease your stress and manage your anxiety?
Get moving!
A new large-scale study looked at the effects of exercise on mental health, and the results were impressive![1]
The results show that moving our bodies can decrease depression, anxiety, and mental distress. The most impressive finding? Moving works better than other treatments, including medication!
Why does movement help with stress and anxiety management?
- Exercise releases endorphins that boost our mood.
- When we exercise we tend to sleep better, which has a huge impact on mental health.
- Exercise is an effective way to decrease stress.
- Exercising consistently can boost self-esteem.
- It gives us a sense of accomplishment which also can help us feel better about ourselves.
So how can you get started moving?
- Start small. In fact, the best benefits came from about 2 and 1/2 hours per week of exercise. That’s total!
- Space it out. Try to move four to five days per week, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
- If you already have a movement routine, try boosting the intensity. Higher intensity exercise can have an even bigger impact on mental health.
Why does it seem medication is prescribed for depression and anxiety before lifestyle changes?
- Oftentimes our doctors will list a number of lifestyle changes, but we don’t retain the information we receive during the appointment.
- It’s not uncommon for patients to struggle with lifestyle changes and medication is easier for a doctor to control.
- Lifestyle changes can be seen as alternative complementary recommendations and therefore completely ignored by certain doctors.
- Many primary care physicians are overly burdened and time constricted. They may not have time to address lifestyle changes, particularly in an ongoing, supportive fashion.
This is where wellness coaching fills a health care gap!
As a wellness coach I work with individuals on making lifestyle and behavior changes that improve health and wellness. I spend a lot of one-on-one time with my clients defining their motivating factors, setting appropriate goals, and monitoring progress. This requires ongoing, personalized support that would be difficult or impossible for many doctors to provide.
You don’t need a wellness coach to get started today. Even if just for 5 minutes, try moving your body. It’s an evidence-based way to decrease anxiety and manage stress.
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[1] The study can be found here: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/18/1203
A nice summary and discussion of the study can be found here: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_type_of_exercise_is_best_for_mental_health?
