
There are all kinds of ways to treat panic attacks, from medications to breathing exercises, but the most effective way to handle them may be by working out.
That’s right—exercise! While exercising can sometimes cause anxiety in people with panic disorders, it can actually help reduce the symptoms and prevent future panic attacks by releasing endorphins in your brain that have a calming effect on your body and mind.
Try these tips on how to get over a panic attack using exercise, or consider talking to your doctor about how you can incorporate physical activity into your treatment plan.
How To Recognize The Signs
It is said that an average person experiences at least one panic attack in their lifetime. There are four classic symptoms that one might experience during a panic attack:
(1) feeling like you’re losing control
(2) heart racing and/or rapid breathing
(3) sweating and/or shaking
(4) feelings of dizziness or shortness of breath
A panic attack can be thought of as similar to having an anxiety attack when you’re in danger. The difference is that with panic attacks you don’t actually feel threatened or like you’re in physical danger, but your body has mistakenly interpreted certain situations as dangerous because it overreacts to normal bodily sensations.
Slow, Steady Breathing Helps
When you’re in the middle of an anxiety attack, your breathing becomes quick and shallow. That can intensify your physical symptoms by triggering your fight-or-flight response. Deep breathing is one way to bring back some control when anxiety kicks in.
During a panic attack, take five deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on breathing slowly and calmly for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds before repeating five more times. If you start feeling lightheaded or dizzy during these exercises, stop and focus on something else until they pass.
Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation

We all know that exercise is good for us, but what about when we’re dealing with severe anxiety symptoms? For example, you might be feeling on edge because your body thinks it’s in danger (just like when you’re having a panic attack).
Exercise can be used to actively combat anxiety and panic. But in order to understand how to put those feelings at ease, it helps to understand why they happen in the first place. Many people don’t realize that nervousness can manifest itself physically—you may feel your heart racing or even experience slight nausea and lightheadedness.
All of these symptoms are caused by stress hormones being released into your bloodstream.
Listen To Music
A panic attack is a response to fear that feels out of control. When you feel like you can’t breathe or your heart is racing, it’s easy to believe that something terrible is happening.
However, these symptoms aren’t dangerous; instead, they are just a set of physical responses that occur when your body and mind are afraid. Exercise provides an outlet for both mental and physical tension. If you normally turn to exercise when faced with stress, try breaking out into dance while listening to music during a panic attack.
Focus on Something Else Section: Create a Physical Routine for Anxiety Relief
One way to deal with an anxiety disorder is to simply avoid things that make you anxious. Another method is to seek treatment, which can take time and money. A more immediate method that works for many people with anxiety disorders is exercise.
Any physical activity helps distract your mind from stressors, while also lowering cortisol levels. This video provides great explanations of why exercise works well against social anxiety and panic attacks in particular—and it’s all using scientific evidence provided by Harvard researchers!
The really good news: even small changes will work; just five minutes at a time adds up fast when spread out throughout your day.
Use Exercise

Research has shown that exercise reduces anxiety and improves mood. In fact, exercise is one of the most effective treatments for mild to moderate depression and panic attacks. Some studies show that exercising for just 20 minutes can help relieve symptoms of panic disorder.
Exercise will not only reduce feelings of anxiety but will also boost your endorphins, making you feel happier overall.
Next time you experience anxiety symptoms, think about getting off your feet and heading outside for a walk or run. Of course, it’s important to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.
If you have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, be sure to discuss your plans with them first. A healthy diet along with regular exercise are two of the best ways to treat panic attacks and other forms of anxiety.
What Exercises Help Panic Disorder Symptoms?
The best exercises for panic disorder symptoms are ones that will keep your heart rate elevated. This can be a brisk walk, jogging, swimming, tennis, boxing, skipping, and many other exercises.
You may think that exercise only helps your heart and muscles, but it can also help with anxiety. Exercise has many mental health benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved mood, less depression, and improved sleep.
It’s because exercise changes how we feel physically as well as mentally: When you work out, your body releases endorphins (chemicals that make you feel happy), which helps ease any panic or severe anxiety symptoms. Exercise also helps balance chemicals in your brain responsible for regulating emotions.
For people with panic disorder, these chemical imbalances cause panic attacks. Using exercise might be able to regulate and balance the chemicals that cause panic attacks.
How To Start An Exercise Therapy Routine?
Exercise is often prescribed as an antidote to anxiety, and it’s no wonder why: Exercise helps release happy hormones like serotonin and dopamine, both of which promote feelings of calmness.
When starting exercise therapy for panic disorder symptoms or social anxiety, however, it can be difficult to know where to begin. To help you get started with exercise therapy, reach out to Exerpy.com and they will get you started off in the right direction.
You can start exploring different types of exercise no matter what stage of life you’re at. The most important thing is to avoid high-impact activities that could cause injury and place unnecessary stress on your body.
Instead, opt for low-impact exercises like walking, running and cycling that are easy on your joints. If you’re just starting out with exercise therapy for anxiety, start with just 5 to 10 minutes per day at first to ensure that it doesn’t trigger a panic attack.
For example, if you run every day after work for 15 minutes and notice symptoms before or during that time frame, it may be best to switch up your routine so you can still enjoy running without negative side effects