Running away from fear
We have discussed here in recent weeks that exercise has undeniably positive effects on cognitive abilities and mental health. How you can run away from your fear, we will work out today (of course only in a rudimentary way).
Rewiring the brain
We now know that our brain is plastic, which means that it continues to develop and learn new things even in adulthood. We have also seen that sport promotes these processes through the growth factors that are formed.
What is anxiety and what is an anxiety disorder?
As useful as anxiety is because it has ensured our survival as a species, it can be distressing when it manifests itself for no real reason. This, very simplistically, is an anxiety disorder. Physiologically, what happens is this: The stress centres in our brain ramp up their function for no reason: sympathetic nervous system, the HPA axis and the amygdala. This is accompanied by strong physical symptoms: shortness of breath, racing heart, sweating and many more.
Does exercise help?
Yes. Of course, those affected should consult a doctor. But it has been known for years that exercise can help reduce anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Only recently have the mechanisms behind this been studied in more detail.
What happens exactly?
When we start exercising, our heart releases a hormone called atrionatriuretic peptide, or ANP for short, which slows down the stress centres described above and dilates the blood vessels. As a result, muscle tension decreases, which is increased in people with anxiety disorders.
The burning of fat through exercise causes the amino acid triptophan to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and serotonin to be produced. The gamma amino butyric acid, or GABA for short, which is formed further on, is released and inhibits the excitation of the nerve cells, which is a decisive factor in the improvement of anxiety disorders.
Drugs compared
These processes are also achieved by beta blockers, as these dampen the sympathetic nervous system. Now it has been shown that exercise has a very similar effect.
A study that examined the effect of the drug clomipramine confirmed this. Three groups of subjects suffering from mild panic attacks were divided into three groups and prescribed the following: Exercise, the active ingredient clomipramine or a placebo.
Clomipramine was effective immediately, as was the placebo, while the effects of exercise took four weeks to appear. After six months, however, the results of the drug-treated group and the athletes were at the same level.
However, the athletes built up self-efficacy without side effects.
What is the right training plan?
If there is professional therapeutic support, our experience is that low-dose endurance training quickly produces an initial effect. It should be noted, however, that especially in the first four weeks, the increased pulse and accelerated breathing can feel like a budding panic attack. This is where sufferers need to be educated and taught about the importance of the right (low) intensity. In the context of further development, the scope and intensity can be increased in order to build psychological resilience in addition to physical resilience.