The Physiology of Physical Activity on Anxiety
Physical activity decreases levels of Anxiety Sensitivity (AS)
AS is the tendency to fear anxiety sensations because they think it will lead to catastrophic events. High levels of anxiety sensitivity is a trait found in many people with anxiety disorders, however, some tests show that it is possible that both low and high-intensity aerobic exercises can decrease AS levels in the body. In the same study as the one liked to the decrease in AS levels, it showed that aerobic exercise helped patients who were previously diagnosed with Panic Disorders, and decreased their panic attacks compared to other test subjects who rested quietly. It was stated that the researchers think the decrease in panic disorders while exercising could be due to exposing the body to the nonthreatening of physical sensations.
The higher the intensity, the less panic attacks there were compared to low-intensity exercise. The study states that exercise, "increases metabolic heat production and exposure to sublethal homeostatic processes that mimic anxiety-induced neurochemical processes". Continuous exercise exposure and activity can increase the tolerance to arousal and stress and therefore anxiety.
Exercise has been shown to alter hormone and neurotransmitter levels
Exercise can decrease levels of B-endorphins, adrenocorticotrophic hormone and endogenous opioid peptide neurotransmitters which showed a reduction in anxiety in this study. Another study also wrote in their conclusion that exercise "down-regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system". These two systems become greatly "dysregulated" and disorganized as a result of chronic stress. With exercise, the systems are restored back to regulation which results in a normal release of the affected glands' hormones such as cortisol (which is a hormone released during stress) and catecholamines, while also reducing arousal and stress.
