Not only does regular exercise reduce the likelihood of heart disease and other illnesses, it has also been shown to treat both depression and anxiety. There are various explanations for why this occurs. First, exercise releases endorphins, a feel-good chemical in the brain that improves mood. It also reduces certain immune system chemicals that cause depression and raises the body temperature, which promotes relaxation.  Regular exercise also helps you get in shape and improve your overall appearance, which for many people, is enough to rid them of their self-doubt. Endorphins help to inhibit your body’s stress response, which lowers your risk for feeling anxious or developing symptoms of panic throughout the day. Some studies show that exercise helps to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety just as well as medication. Even just 10 minutes of physical exercise can help alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms as much as a 45-minute workout.  Exercise can lower your baseline anxiety or the level of tension or anxiety you experience daily. If you experience a high level of anxiety symptoms daily, exercise can decrease the number or severity of these symptoms that you experience. People who suffer from anxiety tend to turn to alcohol to ease their tension and nervousness. Though alcohol may ease symptoms temporarily, it will actually make them worse in the long run.According to the Dietary Guidelines of America, if you are female, you should have no more than one drink per day. If you are a male, you should no more than two per day. Because alcohol is a depressant, is temporarily suppresses your feelings of anxiety or tension, however, when the alcohol is metabolized and rids the body, your anxiety and depression will rebound. Similar to a spring that has to be pressed down harder and harder, your emotions are held down even more by the alcohol. Once the alcohol is gone, the spring will jump even high than it is when it’s just sitting there. This rebound means that you will likely experience more anxiety the next day, or be more susceptible to stress. The high levels of caffeine that are present in coffee can worsen anxiety symptoms in both the short and long run. Caffeine is a stimulant which makes your body and nervous system wired and alert, which increases your risk of worsening or developing depression and anxiety throughout the day.  By limiting your caffeine intake, you can help control over your body’s physical response and prevent experiencing anxiety symptoms throughout the day. Consider switching to decaf, or drinking tea instead.   Some tea, such as green tea, still contains some caffeine, but won't have the same extreme effects of coffee. Nicotine, much like caffeine, is a stimulant and can produce many of the same effects on the body associated with other stimulants, such as feeling wired.  Nicotine is in tobacco products and is also in non-tobacco products such as nicotine gum. Realize that quitting smoking is a difficult task and should only be taken on during non-stressful times. However, doing so could greatly reduce your symptoms of anxiety and depression. Depression is a painful experience which affects your mood, but also energy and motivation. If you are depressed, it may be difficult to focus or you may be tempted to stay in bed all day. You may be anxious if you don't know how your day will go. Try to continue your regular routines as much as possible, and avoid letting your moods dictate what you do and what you get done. If you normally don't have much structure, it may benefit you to begin to structure your days. Plan out your days, making sure they are full but not overwhelming and stick to the schedule so you can continue to function in your daily life.
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