Anxiety is a terrible thing to live with, and although the modern trend on platforms like TikTok tends to suggest, it’s certainly not transient, and in many cases can severely affect your quality of life. Moreover, it’s not only the mental aspect of anxiety that can wreak havoc on your life, but also the physical. However, the only way to achieve genuine results when attempting to reduce and even potentially eliminate one’s anxiety is to look at the entire approach rather than breaking it down into actions for the mental side and actions for the physical side of things. In other words, you’re far more likely to see results by combining a range of tactics, some of which we will cover throughout this post.
The Stress-Recovery Loop
Perhaps the most significant issue facing those who suffer from even the mildest forms of anxiety is that they allow the problem to fester, leading to many knock-on effects that could be countered with a more proactive approach. Of course, real talk is that this is something very easy to say, but somewhat more challenging to put into practice. But if you’re really serious about stripping this problem from your life, you need to take real steps to do so. When it comes to the mental side of things, anxiety can cause an inordinate amount of stress that can build up inside your body over time. High anxiety (which increases the amount of cortisol coursing through your veins) inhibits muscle protein synthesis and slows down recovery.
One interesting method to help to reduce the amount of stress you might feel when interacting with life is to consider alternatives to the more typical pharmaceutical options, many of which can have some pretty nasty side effects. Nowadays, it’s relatively easy to shop pre-rolls online as long as you reside in a state that has legalized it for use either medically or recreationally. Outside of this option, it’s also imperative to add a little more movement to your lifestyle in order to try and flush the excess cortisol and enable your body to better deal with the sorts of triggers that usually set your anxiety off.
Optimizing Muscle Recovery Through Movement
As already stated, anxiety can cause a buildup of undesirable oxidants in your body, making it vital you engage in the right kind of exercises and recovery programs to keep your body clear and fresh. While most of you reading this will be familiar with the usual workout part of the equation, many tend to get the recovery part wrong. Instead of viewing recovery as “doing nothing,” think of it as active maintenance. Even moving your body using low-intensity movements can help to shift it from the sympathetic state, which causes the stress and anxieties that arise throughout life, to a parasympathetic state (i.e., the state you really want to be in most of the time). Even simple things can have significant effects, including:
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- LISS: Low-Intensity Steady State cardio includes almost anything from a brisk walk to simply using the stairs instead of an elevator, as we’re always told to do. But these small steps often result in large wins.
- Flushing metabolic waste: Even gentle movements are great for keeping the blood pumping around the body efficiently, causing it to “flush away” much of the metabolic nastiness that has a habit of accumulating.
- Keeping joints lubricated: If we’re purely discussing muscle recovery, then you shouldn’t overlook the importance of well-oiled joints. Consistent movement can keep them in top condition, pushing along recovery and ensuring that you aren’t precluded from physical activity due to joint pain.
- Yoga: Yoga is an amazing activity that has numerous benefits for your body, and is often touted as one of the better options to pick when choosing a movement routine. It allows you to stretch and maintain movement while assisting you in clearing your mind of negative thoughts.
Physiological “Quick Fixes” For Anxiety
Because anxiety is generally considered a problem of the mind, it would be remiss to ignore it. As we said, it takes a well-rounded approach to the problem to truly get to the core of it and allow your life to enter a calmer and more positive point.
- Don’t neglect your diet: Although not all of those suffering from anxiety have a poor diet, there is often a correlation of some degree. Instead of reaching for that comfort food, force yourself to either refrain entirely or choose a healthier option.
- Improve your breathwork via different techniques: There are many amazing techniques you can use to reduce the impact of a panic attack, including the box technique.
- Cold exposure can work wonders: You might read this and immediately think that the author has been watching too many Instagram Reels, but the truth is that regular exposure to the cold (such as with a cold shower) can have amazing effects on your mind and body.
Anxiety typically comes in a variety of flavors, from the mild, where you might clam up when speaking to another human being, to the extreme, whereby you’re unable to leave your home and neglect your personal health. By using these tips and ideas, you can help your body recover faster from the workouts that improve your mental health and keep your mind fresh and clear for whatever life might have to throw at it.
Written by lea@sapurex.com
