3. TRY NEW THINGS

Consistency might be comforting for some people but Hannah notes that while exercising consistently can certainly help to manage anxiety symptoms, results will vary from person to person. For others, breaking the monotony and trying new things can help curb anxiety symptoms and help you focus on the actual exercise. This might mean changing the location of exercise, changing up your workout playlist or bringing a friend along for the ride (when you can!). “I would encourage experimenting with various tactics to find what works for you – it may take a few attempts so patience will be key,” says Hannah.

Dr Walker adds that the way we handle anxiety outside of exercise can also help us within it. For example, if you like to be around your friends and family to reduce stress, getting one of them involved in whatever exercise you’re doing may help reduce the risk of anxiety. “Pets can also make great companions for exercise, so if you have a pet who helps you to feel relaxed, involve them.”

4. GRADUALLY BUILD UP INTENSITY

While high-intensity exercise can still be beneficial for people with anxiety as cortisol levels decrease immediately after the exercise has finished, Dr Walker still advises sticking to mostly low-to-moderate exercise for people struggling with anxiety. If you want to increase the intensity, you should do so gradually. She recommends exercising during short windows of time. “Rather than exercising for half an hour straight, 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night may be more effective for people with anxiety,” she tells Stylist, while warning that what we eat also can play an important role in staying calm. Those of us with anxiety should steer clear of consuming too much sugar or caffeine as “stimulant foods are not friends to those with anxiety.”

And what we do away from exercise is equally as important. Getting enough good sleep is vital for ensuring that our cortisol levels are stable. According to Dr Walker, our bodies make necessary adjustments to our cortisol production during our sleep, so good sleep will result in lower levels by the time the morning comes. If we start our day at a low level, exercise is less likely to result in panic.

Exercising for anxiety: how to safely develop a fitness routine with chronic anxiety