Exercise has been proven to help ease depression and anxiety symptoms which is why amid Mental Health Awareness week, we have compiled some of our favourite exercises that you can do when you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed and just need something to help make you feel a bit better.

How Exactly Does Exercise Help With Anxiety?
Exercise can help ease symptoms of anxiety in many ways such as:

1. Distracting you from what you are feeling anxious about
2. When you are anxious, your muscles tend to become tense and exercise can relieve some of that tension.
3. Regular exercise builds not only physical resilience but mental resilience too. This means over time you will be more comfortable dealing with difficult emotions.

Exercises To Help With Anxiety
Running: Running is a great way to switch off from the world and shut out all the stressors of life. Like most exercises, running releases hormones in the brain that make you feel better so if you are ever looking for a pick me up, pop in your earphones, hop on the treadmill or take a jog outside in nature and clear your mind.

Yoga: Yoga combines movement and breathing which is another great tool to help ease symptoms of anxiety. In people who experience anxiety attacks, breathing techniques learnt in Yoga are useful to help regulate your heart rate outside of the gym or studio too!

Swimming: One of the best exercises you can do in general but also for anxiety. Much like Yoga, swimming requires the use of body and breath. Swimming requires you to breathe deeper which we know helps ease uneasy feelings. Swimming is also safe for your joints while still aiding in flexibility.

HIIT: High-intensity training is well...intense! For some people, this is just what they need to get out of their rut. HIIT sessions, just like running, release endorphins in the brain quite quickly compared to low-intensity workouts which is why some people opt for a HIIT class when they are feeling a bit uneasy.

There is no denying the benefits exercise has on Mental Health but sometimes it can be tough to figure out which exercise would be best for YOU. If these few options are not for you, you can check out our various group exercise classes or our on-demand workouts on our Virtual Studio to get you out of your funk.