Panick Attacks and running

jimmie25

Do you have experience with panick attacks and exercise as a distraction? My doctor wanted to prescribe me some very strong meds but I refused to take them as I already am on antidepressants for my anxiety and insomnia. He said running was a good alternative. Or strength training. Does anyone have any experience wit those? I've tried running before but that didn't go so well as it triggered my asthma (=panic attack got worse) but my doctor thinks that that was only a one time thing. A nurse mentioned running as well and I've been thinking that next time when I get a random panick attack in the middle of the night, i might as well go running since I never really sleep anyways. Anyone with experience`?

sarafil

I think this is a very individual thing; I can tell you that for myself, running would not help me during a panic attack. When I used to get them, I would feel very short of breath, so I think running would have freaked me out even more. Exercise, in general, is very good for depression/anxiety, but whether it helps during a panic attack, I'm not sure. The only way you will probably know if it works is to try it. I got my depression/anxiety under control with an antidepressant, but I completely understand if you don't want to take one. I would think relaxation techniques would work well during an anxiety attack. Good luck!

runtrx

Being a nursing student I can see where the doctor and nurse is coming from with running or exercising during a Panic attack.

During a panic attack your sympathetic mechanism is triggered "Fight or Flight" which pretty much revs your body up. I know when I get stressed I go for a short run, usually no more than 30 minutes, to let my body "burn through" that "Fight or Flight" period. Then afterwards my body switches over to the parasympathetic phase "Peace" and I actually do calm down while my body goes back to a slow, restful state.

As far as your asthma, if you have an inhaler prescribed to you, I would use it prior to any execising since you may suffer from EIA (exercise induced asthma) if exercising does trigger it. Inhalers are usually a prophylactic medication (as in it's best use to PREVENT it from starting rather than STOP/CURE it once it has already started).

And if you have troubles sleeping at night, perhaps an evening workout/run would be good for you as well. I know from experience, after I have a good cardio work out about an hour later I'm zonked out, lol.

andrejjorje

Absolutely the worst idea to do physical exercise during panic/anxiety attacks. There is already a huge quantity of adrenaline in your body and you don't want more (even those types of adrenaline are different). You don't want more excitation. Generally speaking at that point you need lack of oxygen until passes and not a surplus. That's a fact.
What you do after that is a completely different story.

Stoonloveskeith

I have a history of panic attacks and have been on anxiety medication for 6 years now and I honestly have to say that since I started exercising I have not had a panic attack in a few years now. You can take all the medication in the world but sometimes your body just needs to get rid of all of the adrenaline that it is producing that makes you have these panic attacks. I work out almost 7 days a week. For me, I am a worrier so going hard at the gym seems to clear my mind and stop it from going 90 miles per hour. I sleep so much better as well because my mind and body are tired. I feel like a completely different person since I started exercising. You don't need to necessarily run, just any type of exercise is good for the mind. Just remember when you are having a panic attack, it will end. I have experienced that they only last 15-20 minutes. Hope that helps, feel free to message me if you want to talk more

Missylydia

I think it would make sense to go for a run when you are starting to feel anxious. Although I don't suffer from panic attacks I do know that exercising helps when I'm feeling anxious which i'm guessing would help prevent it turning into a panic attack?

Di3012

Do you have experience with panick attacks and exercise as a distraction? My doctor wanted to prescribe me some very strong meds but I refused to take them as I already am on antidepressants for my anxiety and insomnia. He said running was a good alternative. Or strength training. Does anyone have any experience wit those? I've tried running before but that didn't go so well as it triggered my asthma (=panic attack got worse) but my doctor thinks that that was only a one time thing. A nurse mentioned running as well and I've been thinking that next time when I get a random panick attack in the middle of the night, i might as well go running since I never really sleep anyways. Anyone with experience`?

Hi

Running gets the Endorphins going which is the body's natural painkiller, being out in the fresh air gives a feeling of well-being. Regarding Asthma, quite a few track and field athletes have suffered as such, however their training did not make their asthma worse, it actually seemed to improve their condition, so much so that one particular sufferer was a world class athlete winning a silver medal in the Olympics as well as many other medals in numerous world-class games.

All I am trying to say is that having asthma should not stop you from running and in turn, running is a wonderful activity.

Just take it easy at first, don't rush anything and if it helps you to battle those panic attacks, then it just has to be good x

annatin1018

I have been struggling with anxiety disorder all my life. I started having Panic Attacks at the age of 5, but luckily my mother has them also, so she knew exactly what it was. I have horrible panic attacks, the kind that YOU JUST KNOW YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET THROUGH IT, lol. When I say bad I mean BAD. I have taken many perscriptions, the best being Lexapro and they did help. I am very proud to say that I am not on any meds for panic disorder right now:bigsmile: since I have been exercising very regularly.....it really does help. I still have small struggles with them from time to time, but NOTHING like it was before, and yes I do thank exercise for this :bigsmile:

lauehorn

I found yoga to be a great preventer of attacks. It helps relieve stress and won't cause an asthma attack. Overall, I found myself calmer and more centered. Just an idea. If you try the running, just start out slow with jogging or alternating jogging and power walking. It will help keep you from inducing an asthma attack. I would also get a rescue inhaler and keep it with you which you run. I assume you are already taking a daily inhaler or other med for your asthma. Exercise improved my asthma over time.

lauramichelleie

hey girl I used to have the worst panic attacks, I would literally think I am dying so when I started running and doing cardio I would get more paniced but I pushed thru and began to tell myself your heart is ment to increase. It took a long time but a year later i can say i am panic attack free and i thank excercise. I say go for it, try it, if it is not for you something else will be, I also found taking magnesium tablets helped me. some studies have shown a diet lacking in magnesium can mimic synthoms of anxiety, best of luck xo

schpanks

I have anxiety issues which normally do not affect my life profoundly. A few days ago, though, I was having anxiety about going to work. Couldn't sleep. Couldn't sit down. Home by myself, just being useless and driving myself crazy. I considered doing some zumba but couldn't get my brain around jumping around the house. I absolutely could not stay in the house one minute longer so I went out to run away from my anxiety. I came back sweaty, calm and ready to go to work. I was surprised how effective it was, much more so than medications I have used in the past.

andrejjorje

OP is definitely talking about short period events which are panic attacks. She is not asking about doing sports when you are a sufferer for longer periods of time. Sport is fantastic to relieve anxiety and depression but not during attacks.
Hey, everybody is different so if you want to give it a try then go ahead.

BreakinTheChains

bump

cabbagedan

I'm not sure about exercising _during_ an attack. If you are hyperventilating I'm not convinced it would be a good idea. If you are just feeling stressed and anxious rather than undergoing a full blown attack it would be beneficial however.

Certainly exercise has been repeatedly shown to be as effective as medication or talking therapies in anxiety/depression - especially clinically mild to moderate cases (as in cases that the person isn't so depressed that their speech and/or thinking is impaired).

Of course the ideal treatment is a combination of meds, talking therapy, and exercise - but two (or even one) out of three is going to have at least some positive effect.

I'm a psychiatric nurse so have some knowledge about this sort of stuff, but saying that i've never actually experienced an acute anxiety attack (fortunately) so my advice isn't from experience so possibly not as valid as those who've actually been through it.

XXXMinnieXXX

I'm not sure about exercising _during_ an attack. If you are hyperventilating I'm not convinced it would be a good idea. If you are just feeling stressed and anxious rather than undergoing a full blown attack it would be beneficial however.

Certainly exercise has been repeatedly shown to be as effective as medication or talking therapies in anxiety/depression - especially clinically mild to moderate cases (as in cases that the person isn't so depressed that their speech and/or thinking is impaired).

Of course the ideal treatment is a combination of meds, talking therapy, and exercise - but two (or even one) out of three is going to have at least some positive effect

This. I couldn't do it in the middle of a full on attack, but maybe when the nerves kick in.exercising daily reduces the frequency of these. Also strange enough lying in front of a fan blasting cold air calms me right down x

MyOwnSunshine

I think that running or strength training would be better at preventing panic attacks and regulating depression and anxiety. I would think that yoga practice would be much more effective during a panic attack, because yoga helps you focus your mind and regulate your breathing.

What about taking a yoga class on a regular basis so that you could practice yoga if you feel an anxiety attack coming on?

Goal_Seeker_1988

oh my i've had panic attacks and if they would have told me to run while i was having a panic attack i prolly would have had a heart attack. Idk bout you but when i had them my heart went sky high and running ontop of that? umm no, i'd pass.

but if they want you to exercise as a way to prevent it from happening okay. that's another story. Just don't do it while you're having an attack. Best thing to do is figure out what's causing the panic attacks and start from there. it took me 6 months to get over my anixety.

barefoot76

I had panic attacks for years, and horrible GERD from chronic stress, migraines, too. I started running regularly, and it all disappeared. This was when I was 19, I started jogging just 1.5 miles a day, at night around 9pm before bed. I know some people say that exercise at night makes it hard for them to sleep, but it was the opposite for me. It was like I needed to take all of the stress of my day and run it out. I would literally visualize everything that was stressing me out leaving my body while I was running (and in my head, I would chant, "I am not afraid, I am not afraid, I am strong, I am strong" over and over). I was terrified of being on meds the rest of my life, and the side effects were awful. I am now 35 and I still run or workout every night, and I haven't had a panic attack since I was 27! So, yeah, you can do this! Stay strong, friend!

runtrx

My mother suffers from Panic/Anxiety attacks and takes Lorazepam. It use to be a daily occurance and they were gradually getting worse and more frequent, she was to the point she was eating Lorazepam like candy and it wasn't helping.

Finally I said enough was enough with my mom, and when she would have one of her panic attacks I would pull out her stationary bike, tell her to sit on it and start pedaling. I'd tell her to keep pedaling til she felt that she had rode away from whatever was causing her anxiety. It usually took her about 20 minutes of light/moderate pedaling and she would calm down, I didn't make her pedal like a bat out of hell. Now she very rarely suffers from the attacks, but she continues to do her bike almost daily.

Again I don't suffer from Panic attacks or anxiety disorders (wait til I take my NCLEX, that may change, lol) But I believe that exercising or doing some kind of physical activity during a panic attack allows the body to burn through the extra endorphins as well as disctract the mind from what is causing the overexcitability to a stressor.

JoJoDoerr

I think it would be better preventative...but not during, at least not for me! When I have panic attacks, I feel like I can't breathe and my pulse pounds and races extremely fast...I would think running would only keep the adrenaline flowing! Yoga is great as a preventative and is something you can practice during an attack as well! The breathing and meditative exercises alone are a huge help!

tabi26

I used to have a panic disorder, and when I would have an attack I would go for a brisk walk/jog and then let my heart rate come down naturally. Worked nearly every time

goldfinger88

I'm not a fan of running. It will ruin you as you age. However, exercise for panic is great. Weight training, resistance training, is wonderful. It is better than drugs. QiGong is also good.

Tubby2Toned

Periods of anxiety attacks in my own life.
Things that helped immensely:
Yoga
Meditation
Running
Exercise in general

And, my diet. I cut out coffee and other caffeine sources and noticed an immediate difference.
Eating well seemed to help also.

In my case, the more vigorous the exercise, the less anxiety attacks I had.
The single best exercise I found for anxiety? Boxing fitness.

These are my experiences only. Maybe you can find the workouts that work best for you,and modify your diet if their are things in it that promote excitability (like caffeine).

Good luck! Many of us have been there!

janessac

Absolutely the worst idea to do physical exercise during panic/anxiety attacks. There is already a huge quantity of adrenaline in your body and you don't want more (even those types of adrenaline are different). You don't want more excitation. Generally speaking at that point you need lack of oxygen until passes and not a surplus. That's a fact.
What you do after that is a completely different story.

Edit: ^^ this is definitely right with needing lack of oxygen (not excess)

Exercise during a panic attack actually would be a good idea. Hyperventilation during a panic attack has NOTHING to do with lack of oxygen, but actually a lack of carbon dioxide in your system. When you start hyperventilating, you're expelling more carbon dioxide than your body can produce and it's the lack of carbon dioxide that makes you feel dizzy, numb, tingly, etc.

The huge amounts of endorphins (adrenaline) being released during a panic attack is also what will increase your panic attack symptoms, so by exercising you can calm your body and your hormones down, as well as actually increasing the carbon dioxide in your body from the exercise, making your breathing go back to normal.

As for doing it in the middle of the night, exercise does release a lot of endorphins and will raise your energy levels (although for how long varies from person to person) so you may have even more trouble falling asleep after exercising. I know that after I exercise I'm wide-awake for hours to come. You can try doing it in the middle of the night and see how it fares for you, it might work wonders! Your doctor is definitely on the right track with the exercising, so definitely give it a try.

*side note: I also suffer from asthma and I've had panic attacks in the past and unless I get up and do something physical, I focus too much on how I "can't breathe" and the panic attack gets worse. And since I've started running, I haven't used a puffer in almost 8 months! Before, I couldn't go half a day without it, so I also speak from personal experience

sandredee937

i have suffered from PA for years also. I dont think i would recomend running during one, and i dont think it would help to stop one, but i do believe if you start to run everyday just as a general practice it would help. the more energy we use day to day, and the more engaged we are in physical activity the less likely we are to panic.. (not to be nasty, but if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend... that kind of daily exercise helps to)

nitka653

And, my diet. I cut out coffee and other caffeine sources and noticed an immediate difference.
Eating well seemed to help also.

In my case, the more vigorous the exercise, the less anxiety attacks I had.
The single best exercise I found for anxiety? Boxing fitness.

These are my experiences only. Maybe you can find the workouts that work best for you,and modify your diet if their are things in it that promote excitability (like caffeine).

Good luck! Many of us have been there!

OMG, I actually had an anxiety attack when my counselor recommended I try that as well as the exercises she was teaching me.

Well, I flat out REFUSED to give up my caffeine completely (I am a self-made barista who loves her mochas), but I cut back from multiple quad mocha's a day to one (maybe two) doubles a day. I also completely cut out the energy drinks I would guzzle when I couldn't have a mocha (sometimes even when I did). *** WOW - Now that I'm typing this, I did partake in way too much dang caffeine. ***

Well, to get back to the subject, this helped immensely. I still had some daily attacks, but they were not as strong or often. Eventually I did get on some meds temporarily, but just to help me get centered again so that I can make lifestyle choices that will prevent the anxiety, including exercise.

I am not a runner, have too may foot problems, but I do find a fast walk if or a heavy cardio workout when I'm feeling anxious or stressed really does help.

I am not a doctor or a nurse, only know what my doctor and different health professionals have advised works. We all must consult our own experts -- our bodies -- and then decide what works.

missikay1970

i have suffered from PA's and anxiety disorders (among other things) my entire life. i was also prescribed meds through the years, but nothing worked. in addition, i didn't like the way i felt "all drugged up" and with the help of my therapist, i quit all meds and have been med-free since 2002. that being said, until i started a ROUTINE exercise program, i had a horrible time managing my PA's and anxiety. last august, i joined a gym and i do cardio 6 days per week and weight-lifting about 4/5 days per week. it has made the most drastic difference in my mental state!! i also started a healthy clean-living diet plan where i eat very well (compared to the drive-thru 3000 cal per day way i used to eat!) and i see huge positive differences. i have only had 2 "bad" days in the entire 7 months that i've been exercising. i am more clear-minded, i have not had a single PA, my anxiety is "low" about 99% of the time. i have much more even moods, and i can honestly say that regular routine exercise is the key. if for some reason i can't go to the gym, my whole day is "off." i highly recommend it.

as for running right before or during a PA, i have no idea if that would work for me, but it sounds horrible. i think in my opinion, doing the exercise is more of a way to prevent the attacks to begin with, i honestly don't think it would do much for me during one.

and i agree on the safety (or lack thereof) of running at night alone. if you have a 24-hour gym available with a treadmill, that would be fine, but even on the safest streets, i think running alone is a bad idea in the middle of the night.

Stoonloveskeith

Periods of anxiety attacks in my own life.
Things that helped immensely:
Yoga
Meditation
Running
Exercise in general

And, my diet. I cut out coffee and other caffeine sources and noticed an immediate difference.
Eating well seemed to help also.

In my case, the more vigorous the exercise, the less anxiety attacks I had.
The single best exercise I found for anxiety? Boxing fitness.

These are my experiences only. Maybe you can find the workouts that work best for you,and modify your diet if their are things in it that promote excitability (like caffeine).

Good luck! Many of us have been there!

This!! I have cut out caffeine too, was the best decision I made next to exercise for panic attacks!

bekah_ann13

Not sure what others have said, but I get panic attacks when my heart begins to race fast (like when I am running) instead of taking it away it triggers my panic attacks. So I am trying to do low impact exercise. Try yoga... but also make sure that you are getting enough vitamins for my panic attacks and anxiety I have to take iron. The iron helps wonders for me. Good luck!

Unknown

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missikay1970

oh yes and i agree on cutting out caffeine. sorry, but that has been a big key for me, too. cutting out caffeine has helped me sleep so much better (i suffered from insomnia almost my entire life) and now that i exercise and don't drink any caffeine (NONE!) i sleep soundly 8 hours per night. HUGE difference from the 3 or 4 i used to get, and that was on a good night.