Can anx sufferers do high intensity exercise?

[mom1982]

Hi I'm just wondering if anyone hassome input on this?

I have health anx which has been very much improved the past 5 weeks with very little symptoms & I have mostly good days.

I tried to do some moderate intensity exercise today with a personal trainer at the gym(got my heart rate over 140) but after 15mins, i felt very light headed & had to sit with my head between my legs for 10mins and eat sugar beans and drink heaps of water before i could stand up and go home. I've not done cardio for over 3 yrs and had a baby 4 months ago. it might have been much but is the anxiety holding me back from pushing myself?

I had to stop and have no interest in going back to the gym cause I have a fear of fainting. How do anxiety sufferers get toned & fit & do high intensity exercise? Is it possible?

[onceagain]

Hi Mom

Not sure whether the heart rate is good or not as don't know your age, it differs.. but first of all if you have not exercised in years you should not have been put into a position by a coach to work so hard that you became faint so quickly it should be built up ie, a few minutes on each machine until you become used to it.

Exercise is good for anxiety sufferers as it releases a happy hormone so please don't be put off, the faint feeling could be because you just aren't used to it, slightly under par what with the young baby...

Ensure you have eaten a couple of hours before gym nothing heavy but something with carbs... for energy and take it slowly, 2-5 walking on tread mill, 2 minutes on cross trainer, 2 minutes on rower etc, monitor your heart and your coach should have told you where your heart rates should be....

Take it easy and build on it... make sure you take drinks of water during exercise and if you feel dizzy then stop and rest always monitor your heart rate ...best of luck x

[UFC_fan]

Having anxiety can make you feel wierd when you start to exercise intensly however I do not beleive it is a barrier, I do VERY high intensity exercise a couple of times a week and I'm fine (I'm a Kickboxer), it does really help with ridding you temporarily of the anxiety as well.

I've not always exercised at this rate either, only for the past 4 years and judging by your user name I'm 6 years older than you!

Go for it but do build things up a little for the first week or two.

[screddie]

Hi Mom1982 - you may have seen a similar post from me last week. I recently wnet back to the gym after not having done any exercise for 12 months or so. I went twice last week and probably tried to do too much. I felt pretty awful after the second time - headache, dizzy, head/eye pressure and vaguely nautious. Was quite dissapointed as it was a big step to go back to the gym - bit of a set back.

Bear with it and take it easy! That's what i'm doing.

[skippy66]

I play tennis 3 times a week and when I play and for hours afterwards my anxiety disappears.

Exercise is the best thing you can do for what we all have