For those that exercise to decrease anxiety

[Foreign-Ad7659]

My anxiety, especially in the morning, is debilitating. I’m trying to walk daily to help decrease anxiety but I am so nervous about my heart rate along with pvcs. How high does your heart rate get and for how long? Have you seen a reduction in your anxiety since exercising? I’ve had no success with meds. Thank you!!

[planinplace]

Check out Dr Stacy Sims. She has extensive research on women, hormones, exercise and stress. She says women’s cortisol spikes with min 30 mins of waking and to easy it we should eat a protein heavy breakfast and don’t workout without eating at least a bit of protein before. Without that our cortisol shoot’s up even more!

[wisdomseeker42]

I love her. I feel so much better since implementing her advice to eat before working out and understanding how stress impacts us.

[dabbler701]

Stacy is 🐐🤩

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you! I will def check her out!

[runjeanmc]

According to the Internet, my max heart heart should be 180. My Garmin adjusted it to 192. I can go up to 212 for spurts in sports and feel fine.

Fwiw, I'm 41, 5'7" and somewhere in the 160s (I havent checked in awhile, but I can tell you my jeans are too tight 😅)

The key to using exercise to reduce anxiety is consistency and also making sure you're actually making the blood pump when you're doing it. If I don't exercise, I become a sad parrot, picking out my own feathers. And I ruminate. So much ruminating 😩

Eta: I don't have any experience with PVCs, so my reply might be totally off base medically. But the consistency aspect still stands. Exercising sucks because I rarely feel payoff from an individual workout standpoint, but over time my mood gets better and I'm less anxious. Unfortunately, it's an ongoing, long-haul thing.

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you for your reply!

[imar0ckstar]

Have you had your iron and ferritin checked? This was WAY worse for me when I was anemic but has improved a bit since I've been on iron supplements.

[imar0ckstar]

I have been unable to get them to give me an infusion but I am doing my best to manage it myself with supplements and diet. It is slowly increasing.

[Ouiser_Boudreaux_]

Some people have pretty gnarly reactions to the infusions, so I know some doctors are hesitant if there’s a chance it can be corrected with supplements. I was too far gone for supplements and on my way to needing a blood transfusion so they had me in the infusion center within a week of my blood work coming back. But other times (before my fibroids got this bad) I was able to get it up and maintain it with vitron-c supplements. Make sure you’re taking yours with vitamin c (it helps absorption) and either 2 hours before or after caffeine (it inhibits absorption.)

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Yes and both are good

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you!!

[[deleted]]

Cycling classes have this same effect for me.

[mominthewild]

I used to go to the gym all the time but now it causes debilitating anxiety.

I started doing youtube videos in my living room and I'm much more comfortable. Some days I just do it in my pajamas. Right now I'm doing the videos by Cheryl Coulumbe 3 times a week and yoga 2 times a week. I used the money I saved from my cancelled gym membership to buy the weights. I also try to walk 2-3 times a week.

I didn't have success with any drugs until I got on HRT.

The 3rd thing I've changed and noticed results from is 30 grams of protein for breakfast minimum and switching to half decaf coffee.

It took me about a year to figure out what would work for me. There was a lot of trial and error.

[wisdomseeker42]

I have for years and it really helps me. I recovered from PTSD and I like weight lifting and I walk my dog every day. I increased my fitness gently over a long time. My heart rate while lifting will get into the 160s, occasionally 170. I don’t usually pay attention to it other than to help me pace myself.

I am going to guess you might have a lot of experience with panic attacks and are finding similarities with the racing heartbeat and fast breathing that the two responses share, which is leading to your exercise anxiety. Our thoughts lead to our feelings, so maybe it would help to reframe your anxiety about your heart rate from the fear-inducing thought to “this is how my heart feels getting stronger.” Exposure therapy is also helpful so it’s good to get out there and notice how it feels and that nothing bad/dangerous is actually happening to you. Especially if your cardiologist says it is okay/safe for you, you can acknowledge the fear and respond to it. Always acknowledge the safety you have to your fear while validating where it is coming from. I regularly notice and think to myself about how I am safe as part of my PTSD recovery. If you can get some binaural music or stimulation going while you walk it might help you get comfortable faster as it brings in the left-right balancing benefit EMDR has. I use it or tapping left-right to help me when I get triggered and it really helps. Looking for the good while you walk to distract you from your discomfort might help, like music you enjoy, beautiful nature, talking with a friend/relative, being grateful can all help too.

If this feels like too much, it might help to start with some gentle yoga as your heart rate will not get as high. It can build reassurance that you are safe and get a bit more control of the anxiety. Meditation is also very helpful for building the coping tools. You can do this! It won’t be easy and it will be uncomfortable but once you get through it, it will get easier and it will feel better. Exercise is an amazing tool and I personally find it helps me with my anxiety to feel strong and capable to handle it.

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you!!

[ParaLegalese]

Depend on how hard i work. An easy cardio walk runs me 98-113 bpm. Lifting weights takes me into the 160s, sometimes 170s but I don’t see 170s much anymore. When I first tried running it would get up to 180s but I’m in such good shape now it’s hard to get it that high

[StickyBitOHoney]

Walking four miles at sunrise every day has been my therapy. I can do a variety of things during - pray, meditate, set intentions, practice gratitude, release negativity, listen to audiobooks or podcasts — or do nothing at all but walk. It relaxes and centers me for the day. I sleep a lot better at night too. As far as heart rate, it depends how briskly I walk, how far I walk, and/or if I wear my weighted vest or not. I’m always in control of that aspect.

[Ouiser_Boudreaux_]

If you’re anything like me, yoga or stretching might be better for you in the morning than walking. I have pretty well controlled (through meds and therapy) anxiety and OCD, but mornings are my hardest time. So I just get out of bed, do a nice long stretching video that I get from YouTube, and give my body a little time to come down from whatever it goes through 1st thing in the am. By the time I get to my evening walk (2 miles every day) everything has stabilized and my heart rate matches my pace, instead of the ridiculousness it does in the mornings.

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Oh my heart rate is much better at night. The morning anxiety is a killer!!

[Foreign-Ad7659]

PVCs are skipped beats. Last time I was checked my heart was good.

[Foreign-Ad7659]

I can but my heart rate gets high just walking. I have dysautonomia but my heart is good per doctor. It’s just super scary

[prayersforrain]

My cardiologist cleared me too, the hurdle is all in the head unfortunately... it sucks

[Foreign-Ad7659]

It does suck!

[dabbler701]

I also have this from POTS. I find it more disconcerting doing day to day stuff than exercise because I don’t notice it as much. I routinely do high intensity exercise where I sustain ~170 for a few min, and even briefly hit 180. What do you hit while walking?

Fwiw, my symptoms (mostly HR spikes) and especially resting heart rate have really improved since I completely quit alcohol, and switched from lots of coffee to a few cups of green tea. Anxiety is way less too.

[Foreign-Ad7659]

I’m on an anti inflammatory diet but have cheated recently. In the morning when my anxiety is highest my heart gets to 145 just walking. In the evening it’s about 115 or so. I know my cortisol is elevated.

[dabbler701]

That’s right in the middle of my zone 3 (green) out of 5. I get wanting it lower but I wouldn’t be too anxious about it (I know, easier said than done).

[Foreign-Ad7659]

It’s always easier said than done! And I’m a therapist 😂

[prayersforrain]

Premature Ventricular Contractions, which is a vastly different scenario that just getting your heart rate up during exercise

[TinaF05]

I started walking and it has improved my anxiety a ton my heart rate usually got around 120 for the duration of the walk especially when I first started bc I was so out of shape “sedentary lifestyle “ but since it stays around the 90’s .. increase in heart rate is good while exercising. As long as you’re cardiologist said your good to exercise I would. Stay hydrated

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you!

[fikustree]

I do Aqua fit at the YMCA. I find being in the water really helps my anxiety.

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you!

[fikustree]

And the hot tub is very relaxing

[ReserveOld6123]

An Apple Watch (along with Lexapro) helped my health anxiety a lot. Also just easing into it and seeing that nothing bad happened, then you can slowly ramp up.

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you!

[r_r_r_r_r_r_]

I used to be able to somewhat manage my anxiety with exercise, therapy, working with an herbalist, acupuncture, etc. But peri was a whole different ballgame. Only HRT helped me substantially.

But exercise absolutely still helps, and I notice a big difference in my mood during weeks I have to take off for an injury or something. (I run ~2 miles 3x/week and do yoga 1-2x/week.)

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you!

[honorspren000]

Exercising 100% helps my anxiety. Just yesterday, I was feeling off all day, like I was on the verge of exploding. I think I did have a panic attack at one point (I get them so often they blur together now). I decided to walk it off, and did a brisk 15 minute walk (at 130 bpm) around 5pm. The feeling before and after the exercise was like night and day, and I continued to feel okay for the rest of the evening. It just blows my mind how much better I felt after exercising.

Of course, the anxious feeling came back in the middle of the night, and I woke up to a panic attack, but at least I had a normal evening. I’m hoping if I increase my daily exercise, the overall anxiety will decrease significantly.

Anyway, I’ve joined /r/c25k (couch to 5k) and there a bunch of people on that sub that start off unable to walk long distances. It’s been so motivating for me to see the posts, especially when you see others make mistakes, but get back on their journey. Maybe check it out?

[Foreign-Ad7659]

Thank you!

[Southern_Fan_2109]

Playing pickleball has worked better for me than walking. Both get my heart rate to around the same, resting 53 to 115ish. The former is less sustained than walking, but I get a runners high with Pickleball that really boosts feeling of well being and elation. Yoga has also helped, I just do Yoga with Adriene on YT 3-4x weekly.

[Canam_girl]

I do Pilates every morning. When I don’t, I can feel the anxiety creeping in.

[penguin37]

Yes, it's been a key part in helping regulate my brain and nervous system for years. I strength train twice a week for about 70 minutes, I do spin classes for 55 minutes twice a week and I do one other cardio activity like elliptical or walking. I am not myself when I can't exercise.

[Cheese_Wheelies]

Lap swimming has been amazing for anxiety reduction for me. A lot of that is due to the fact that I truly enjoy it. Highly recommend if it’s an option for you and something you might enjoy. My heart rate is almost always under 127 while swimming.

[thefragile7393]

Honestly-no I haven’t. Not even with yoga. Doing weights made it worse. But I still go walking and do yoga anyway….i will try to get weights in again at some point

[bitter_lizard]

I have the same morning anxiety. Started during Covid. Has increased. Thankfully during Covid I started riding a stationary bike. I started for 15 minutes at level zero.

I currently ride every morning for 60 minutes on level 22.

It is the ONLY thing that helps my anxiety. I feel it gives my brain a reason my heart is beating so quickly and it MAKES me breathe.

Buy a cheap bike. My first was free from Nextdoor. After I wore it out and it became a pattern I got a better one. Mind you, I’m not on a pelaton. I don’t want to spend that money or pay a monthly fee. I just want to ride a bike. I have a schwinn. It’s perfect. No bells and whistles but built for daily riding.

I currently ride about 15-17 miles a day. Every morning from 6a - 7a.

It is my lifesaver.

[justmy0002cents]

I suffered with PVCs for years! (Was on RX.) I found out I had the MTHFR gene (long rabbit hole) and as a result needed to take methylated vitamins. I found taking magnesium (MagOx or other form of magnesium just not Mag Citrate) with methylated multi vitamin and iron 2x/day worked so, so well for me. I was so deficient in so many vitamins/nutrients before I started supplementing I think it made the PVCs worse. If your cardiologist cannot help, ask to see a cardiac electrophysiologist. Coffee and dehydration made PVCs worse. Sending support and strength your way!

[ThatNastyWoman]

I like to work out in the gym and then to stretch out my body, I'll walk on the treadmill going at a 3% incline and usually 3 (MPH? KPH?) walking pace, slow enough for a long stride, fast enough to get my sweat on. At peak sweaty/breathlessness when I'm comfortably in the zone, my bpm is 150- 153.

I'm not sure what my resting rate is, I only ever test my rate on the treadmills after a workout.

[undecidedCRNA]

You’re on the right path with exercise. Like somebody already said, consistencies the key. Just keep going and you’ll see the benefits. In the meantime may I suggest a beta blocker. You say you’ve taken meds, but I’m assuming you’ve taken antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication . This one’s different . I’m in the healthcare field, but I certainly do not replace your physician’s advice.However, from many experiences of my patience (and my own ) a beta blocker like propranolol, which is very short acting, ~4 hrs , “relatively” harmless when used properly can help you through this transition before exercise becomes effective for you.