How you exercise has an impact on your Central Nervous System. Intense exercise and restorative exercise can both be helpful: there is always a balance of the two. Remember, your body is always working towards being in balance. If you are already in a primed-for-action state because of your constant to-do list and you continue to push harder during your HIIT/Crossfit workouts, that’s more intensity that your Central Nervous System really doesn’t want or need.
When you avoid yoga and stretching, this makes it even harder for your body to pull your parachute and get that rest that helps you feel more in control of your own life. You might find it helpful to add in walking, yoga, swimming or pilates, and other similar exercises where you can.
Most highly anxious types love to completely drain themselves in incredibly hard workouts. Does this sound familiar? Keep in mind that this higher intensity training (not necessarily every HIIT/Crossfit workout, but throwing yourself consistently at any high-intensity workouts until complete exhaustion is the same thing) only fuels your already out of control and burning dumpster fire; that being your overly activated Sympathetic Nervous System.
Mix up your exercises. Get outdoors more often and remember that going for a fast-paced walk is actually also great for your body and mind too. Walk the dog or join your community yoga group. If that seems too slow for you, change out just one higher intensity day in your week for a lower intensity day. Start small, and work from there.
If you’d like to read up about the Central Nervous System and all the fundamentals, visit this link. It explains all you need to know about how it links to your anxiety.
