Why is stress from exercising good for our body/heart but stress from anxiety isn’t?
In: 10
Think about if you started jogging, and never slowed down to a walking pace for rest. How long do you think you could keep going? You need periods of rest in order for your body to recover. Even going from running to walking can greatly increase the distance you can travel before passing out.
Stress keeps your heart rate up for very extended periods of time, which never allows or to rest.
When you exercise, your body works hard and uses up energy. This can cause a little bit of stress on your body, which is actually good for you. This stress helps your muscles become stronger, your heart become more efficient, and your body become more able to handle other stresses in your life.
On the other hand, stress from anxiety is a different kind of stress. Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear that can be overwhelming and can affect your daily life. When you feel anxious, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode, which means it prepares itself to either run away from danger or to fight. This causes your body to release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones can cause physical changes in your body, like a faster heart rate, sweaty palms, and tense muscles. These physical changes can be helpful in short bursts, but if you feel anxious for a long time, they can be harmful to your body and lead to physical problems like headaches, stomachaches, or even heart problems. It’s important to find healthy ways to cope with anxiety, like talking to a trusted friend or family member, taking deep breaths, or doing something you enjoy, so that you can feel better and stay healthy.
The main difference is that you can stop exercising, rest, recover, etc etc. Prolonged anxiety keeps the body I’m a state of heightened alertness that it never backs down from. It’s the fact that you stay wound up forever and don’t calm back down to heal and recover that makes that kind of stress bad.
Some stress, followed by rest is good. Some stress forever all the time, is bad.
Both are stresses. That is the bottom line. You are right. If you have a heart condition, you’d be in danger from any stress, including exercise, while you’re doing it. In that way, they are indeed similar.
Latest Answers