if in doubt, go workout
Besides the brilliant word selection in the title, I believe this simple phrase has kept me healthy and free from anxiety for most of my life.
Most of you know that exercise, no matter what form, helps with managing anxiety.
Most of you might not know however, why that is, besides the 'happy hormone' effect.
First, let me break down what anxiety can be characterised as.
Anxiety is described as complex.
However, in my mind - a simple definition comes to mind.
Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness or worry when there is uncertainty about an outcome.
I like to extend this a touch further.
Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness or worry when there is a perceived lack of control about the outcome.
Worrying about the uncertainty in an outcome is no different to worrying about whether you have CONTROL of the outcome... in my mind anyway.
So the question is - why does working out seem to help with anxiety?
There are a few reasons for this.
The first, working out gives you an immediate sense of control. There is nothing more in your control than your body.
Only you can choose to move your arm from one end of the table to another.
Only you can choose to run for 10km.
Only you can choose to get under a heavy weight.
When you start to workout, your feeling of 'not having control' starts to disappear. And you will find that your anxiety comes down.
This will make sense to most of you. In fact, many of you have likely experienced it already.
However, I bet this next reason might not have crossed some of your minds.
When you start to workout, you start to experience the sensory pain associated with training OVER the anxiety you might be feeling.
Let me put it this way. If you stub your toe and it is hurting... one of the best ways to dull it... is to get slapped in the face. Now, you're more focused on your face hurting than your toe.
When you are anxious, your senses are occupied with how the uneasiness feels. You might be controlled by the racing thoughts of 'what might happen.'
When you start working out, especially a tough one - suddenly your muscles are hurting, your lungs are puffing and you don't have time to 'think' about what you're thinking, as well as 'feel' your anxiousness.
Heck, you can barely breathe. You can't feel 'anxious' when you're too busy trying to get oxygen in and out of your lungs.
In some psychology circles, this is known as 'getting into your body,' where you can manage racing thoughts in the 'head' by anchoring your attention to your body. This is why it's sometimes anxiety provoking things like a first date, are better off doing some type of movement like walking or running together, versus just sitting in the one spot.
The third, and final reason in this post is...
Working out gives you a sense of accomplishment. Every workout is an accomplishment, especially if you didn't want to do it.
Now I know that sounds like a participation award (which I detest), but hear me out.
77.6% of adults from 18-64 in Australia do NOT meet the regular guidelines of physical activity in a week. The guideline is 150-300 minutes per week. On the low end, that's 20 minutes a day. On the high end, that's 42 minutes a day. 20 minutes a day guys. Unless you're a new parent and you need to be by the side of your baby at all times (even then I've worked with new parents who find the time to move), everyone has the ability to meet these guidelines.
What this says to me is...
Training is not an innately 'natural' thing for us to do. Eating is natural. Sleeping is natural. But training is not. It requires effort and a choice. And so if you're making the choice to workout everyday, no matter how intense it is.
You are doing something that 77% of the population are not willing to do.
Now stick it out for 6-7 days a week, every week, for the rest of your life.
THAT is an accomplishment. And something that only a small group of people in this world are ever willing to do.
What do you guys like to do for your training routine?