Practicing sports for anxiety benefits physically and turns out to be a great ally to getting rid of daily stress and perceiving improvements from a psychological point of view.
What is the relationship between sport and anxiety?
The relationship between sport and anxiety has been studied for decades. It is curious that the professional athlete, on the one hand, may feel levels of stress due to competition or a worsening performance. But, on the other hand, physical exercise indeed helps reduce anxiety and the appearance of negative thoughts.
However, the secretion of adrenaline is produced by anxiety in stressful situations. These are related to the competition is conceived as a defense mechanism. It is only harmful if the levels and emotional state are not controlled.
Regarding those people who practice a sport or activity as amateurs, they usually find at this time of day an escape valve to get rid of the stress accumulated during the day. Many users say that it is a moment of disconnection in which they put their thoughts in order and recharge their energy.
Physical exercise is used as a therapy to reduce anxiety. The release of hormones and other benefits that sport provides on a psychological level can lead patients to improve significantly in this aspect.
Sport and anxiety in adolescents
In a study with more than 11,000 European adolescents of both sexes and from ten different countries, it was determined that higher levels of physical activity corresponded to less anxiety. For this reason, sport must be promoted not only among adults but also among the youngest since this sector of the population is prone to experiencing negative situations psychologically.
Some sports for anxiety
Yoga
It is quite a classic. Yoga manages to put the body in contact with the mind. It is done by executing a series of postures, and breathing plays a fundamental role.
Cycling
It is a perfect activity to escape from the day today. In addition, it allows us to move to different and new places.
People who start exercising usually choose cycling since it is an activity suitable for everyone, as long as a simple and non-technical route is chosen. A simple bike ride through the park or any natural environment will significantly improve anxiety.
I am running: a fantastic sport for anxiety.
It is considered one of the best sports to combat anxiety. During running fast in the race, we are more concentrated. In addition, we get used to heavy breathing and increased heart rate. These symptoms usually appear in people with anxiety, so they will not be feared as much.
On the other hand, we all know that a release of endorphins is generated, which causes us to feel better.
Of course, the ideal is to avoid carrying out very intense sessions late in the afternoon since this can make it difficult for us to fall asleep.
Swimming
It is a sport that is practiced without music and any other distraction such as a video, a movie… This will make you fully concentrate on yourself.
Taichi
With taichi, you will work on your ability to concentrate, coordinate and control your body.
It is also beneficial for attention deficit hyperactivity disorders.
Boxing
You don’t need to get in a ring; the simple act of training with a bag relieves symptoms of depression and provides a large number of endorphins.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that there is a close relationship between sport and anxiety. As we have seen throughout the article, it is interesting to analyze the relationship between these two concepts in professional athletes since carrying out an important test can give rise to symptoms of stress or anxiety in the user. For this reason, it is essential to work on controlling emotions to know how to handle the situation.
On the other hand, in the case of amateur athletes, physical exercise is an excellent treatment to combat this type of problem. It would also be convenient to encourage the practice of sports among the youngest population of society.
Among the activities that help calm stress and anxiety, we find a large number: running, cycling, yoga, pilates, boxing, etc. The important thing is that the person selects the one for which he feels the greatest motivation to regularly incorporate it into his life.