Anxiety and Physical Activity: Why Moving Your Body Really Helps!

Stress is part of life. But when it becomes chronic — clouding your thoughts, draining your energy, or disturbing your sleep — it can feel overwhelming.

What if the solution didn’t come only from your mind… but also from your body?

Recent research shows that physical activity — even gentle movement — can play a powerful role in regulating anxiety. Whether you’re dealing with occasional stress or long-term tension, moving your body might be one of the simplest ways to restore clarity and calm.

Why Movement Helps Reduce Stress and Anxiety?

When anxiety sets in, it’s not “just in your head.” Your whole nervous system reacts — muscle tension, shallow breathing, racing thoughts, physical restlessness…

That’s where movement becomes a powerful tool. Physical activity helps:

• Release endorphins, the brain’s natural mood stabilizers
• Relieve physical tension and stress buildup
• Improve sleep, which is often disrupted by anxiety
• Enhance focus and clarity, especially when fatigue takes over

In short, moving your body helps regulate your mind.

What the Research Says: Does Intensity Matter?

A 2021 Swedish study (Henriksson et al.) looked at the impact of different exercise intensities on 286 people with chronic anxiety. Participants exercised three times a week for 12 weeks, either at:

• a moderate intensity (60% of max heart rate),
• a high intensity (75% of max heart rate),
• or were part of a non-exercise control group.

The findings:

• Both active groups showed significant reductions in anxiety
• Higher intensity = greater improvement
• Low/moderate intensity increased improvement odds by 3.6x,
  while high intensity increased them by 4.9x

Bottom line: Any level of movement helps, but pushing your limits a little more can have even stronger effects — if it feels right for you.

How to Get Started (Without Pressure)

You don’t need to be a fitness expert or feel “ready.” The goal is not performance — it’s consistency, kindness, and reclaiming your space.

A few practical tips:

• 5 to 30 minutes a day is enough — walking, dancing, gardening, yoga… everything counts
• Frequency matters more than duration
• Pick something that suits your mood and energy level
• It often takes 4 to 8 weeks to feel more ease and coordination
• Moving with a friend or while listening to a podcast can make it more enjoyable

Even if you’re anxious or haven’t exercised in years, you can start gently, your way.

What Exercise Can’t Do — And What It Still Offers

Exercise is a powerful complementary tool, but not a one-size-fits-all solution. Some people feel only mild or temporary benefits. And that’s okay.

It’s not meant to replace therapy or medical care, but to support your body, sleep, mood, and self-confidence along the way.

Moving Your Body to Come Back to Yourself:

Exercise isn’t about controlling or “fighting” anxiety. It’s a gentle invitation to come back to your body, to create space inside your mind, to shift the inner pace.

Walking, dancing, stretching, climbing stairs, lifting something… it all counts.
You don’t have to do it perfectly. Just start where you are.

Final Words:

You don’t have to be at your worst to start moving.
You’re allowed to choose what feels good — no need to chase performance. 

Sometimes, movement is how we get unstuck — inside and out.

No, you don’t have to “earn” your wellbeing.

Working with a coach can help you reconnect with your body, your energy… and your inner balance.