In order to answer the question of how running improves mental health and can help people to overcome stress and anxiety it is important to first delve into what stress and anxiety are and what they entail to gain a deeper understanding of them. Stress and anxiety are two different things, but are both emotional responses that are very similar and often go hand in hand or are lumped together. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), stress is the result of long or short term external triggers, while anxiety is “persistent, excessive worries that don’t go away even in the absence of a stressor” (Alvord and Halfond). Some examples of external triggers that cause stress are academic responsibilities, pressure to achieve high grades, work, relationships, loss of a loved one, family issues, and more. Some physical signs of stress include having a hard time breathing, difficulty sleeping, aches and pains, headaches, fatigue and tiredness, sweating, increased heart rate, feeling sick, and even experiencing panic attacks (“Signs and symptoms of stress”). Other symptoms of being stressed are experiencing feelings of worry, tension, anxiety, nervousness, irritability, loneliness, disinterest in life, depression, dread, being overwhelmed, and racing thoughts (“Signs and symptoms of stress”). These symptoms can begin to weigh on people and make day to day life more difficult and burdensome.
Not all stressors and challenges that people face in life result in bad stress, and sometimes stress can be beneficial or good. Stress can be good in small amounts, especially the kind that causes people to be excited or to learn from it. However, when a person is constantly stressed for long periods of time, it can have many negative effects on both their mental and physical health. The APA states in its article about the effects of stress on the body, “Stress affects all systems of the body including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems” (Shaw et al.). Due to the fact that stress impacts all body systems, too much prolonged stress can be very physically damaging to the body. This is why it is so important to learn ways to manage stress and find healthy coping mechanisms and strategies that work.
Stress and anxiety tend to go hand in hand and are two sides of the same coin. Prolonged and extreme stress lead to anxiety. The symptoms and signs of anxiety are very similar and almost identical, but the difference comes down to the fact that stress is the result of outside triggers and stressors while anxiety is present even when there is not a trigger. Anxiety, like stress, is a common and temporary thing that people deal with in their day to day lives, but it can become more severe and develop into an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are anxiety and worries that don’t go away and are long term. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobia-related disorders” (“Anxiety Disorders”). These disorders can make everyday life very difficult for people, which is why it is important for people dealing with anxiety to find healthy coping mechanisms that work for them and their needs. A successful coping mechanism for many people is physical activity or exercise, specifically running.
