How to Exercise When Exercise Makes you Anxious

It seems like everything you read says exercise is key to reducing anxiety and depression. "Get those endorphins pumping and you'll feel better!"  "Exercise helps the brain cope with stress more effectively!" And, so on...

Now, I know that all this is based on scientific evidence and is true. But, exercise doesn't do any of that for me. It makes me hot, tired, and irritable at best. At worst, it makes my anxiety increase. Here's what happens when I exercise.

1. I start to work out.
2. I feel myself getting hot.
3. Sweat starts to form on my face and hair. I hate to be sweaty.
4. I notice my heart is beating faster. Oh my gosh. My heart is speeding up. I tell myself to calm down; that my heart is supposed to speed up when I exercise.
5. All I can think about is my heartbeat. Is it too fast? Should it speed up this quickly? Was that a pain in my chest? Am I finally having that heart attack I worry about all the time?
6. I start feeling anxiety symptoms because I can feel my heart.
7. I force myself to keep exercising. I'm not going to let this get the best of me.
8. I go through the cool down portion.
9. I can still feel my heart beating fast.
10. I'm now hot, tired and sweaty with a big dose of anxiety thrown in. Sometimes I even have a panic attack.

Sounds fun, right?

I don't get it when people say things like, "If I weren't a runner, I'd need a therapist." "Exercise is my therapy." "I feel so energetic on the days I work out." Why doesn't it work like that for me?

Well, the truth of the matter is that I know I have to get some exercise for both my mental and physical health. And, I also know that if I exercise on a regular basis, it's like exposure therapy. I do it, I don't die, and each time the anxiety symptoms get a little better. And, when I get regular exercise, my general anxiety is less.

So, how do I make myself get started and keep going? Here are a few common sense tips:
1. Start slow. Do just a little at a time. Even five minutes is better than nothing.
2. Do something that doesn't feel like exercise, like gardening, dancing or even vacuuming, so that your mind doesn't automatically focus on your heartbeat.
3. Watch TV as a distraction while you work out.
4. Do a lengthy cool down so your heart rate is back to normal by the time you finish.

Now, all I need to do is get up from my computer and do some exercise...