Intense exercise and restorative exercise: it’s always a balance. 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 and pressure on your already hard working body.
When you avoid yoga and stretching, this makes it even harder for your body to deploy your parachute and get that rest and relaxation that helps you feel more in control of your own life. So 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. Keep in mind that this extreme kind of training (not HIIT/Crossfit itself, but throwing yourself consistently at these high intensity workouts until complete exhaustion) only fuels your already out of control and burning fire; that being your highly activated Sympathetic Nervous System. Mix up the exercises, get outdoors more often and remember that going for a fast paced walk is actually also exercise too. Just a tad less intense for your central nervous system and overall anxiety too!
