In response to my call for help I received a great topic idea from one of my readers. The topic is exercise induced anxiety and whether or not lightheadedness and dizziness are caused by anxiety while exercising or is there something else going on?
If you have spent any time reading this blog or any other online resource about anxiety disorders then you know one of the most common bits of advice given to anxiety sufferers is that they exercise. Sometimes though even something as positive and good for you as exercise can cause problems.
So you walk into the gym with your brand new exercise gear and take a look around. You see that someone has just gotten off the stair master machine so you race over so someone else doesn’t beat you there. You climb on and begin the not so fun process of exercising – so far so good.
After you climb off the stair master you notice something just isn’t right. You’re out of breath, dizzy, lightheaded and the room may even be moving around just a tad. Is this anxiety or is it exercise related?
Let’s look at the connection between exercise and lightheadedness first. Can exercise cause you to feel dizzy and lightheaded? Yes it can.
You don’t have to have an anxiety disorder to feel off balance or dizzy after physically exerting yourself. The process by which this occurs is normal and not anxiety related.
The What, How, and Why
When we physically exert ourselves, a.k.a exercise, there is a lot happening in the body. First things first – your heart muscle will begin to beat faster so it can send blood to the muscles doing all the work. This in turn increases blood flow and causes your blood vessels to expand. This makes it easier for the body to send the needed blood to those hard working muscles.
When you stop exercising the blood circulation slows down because those hard working muscles are not asking for as much oxygen/energy. Although your circulation has been slowed the blood vessels in the body remain expanded and this can cause your blood pressure to fall which may cause dizziness.
Prevention
Although feeling dizzy after a good work out is not unheard of you should take steps to avoid it or at least decrease its prevalence.
There are a few things you can do to lower the occurrence of dizziness after exercising. For starters you need to eat right and keep hydrated. When we work out we are using a great deal of energy and we need to make sure that our bodies are prepared for the job ahead.
This doesn’t mean that you have to eat a huge meal before working out but you definitely want to make sure you eat at least a small snack and drink water before and during your workout.
In addition, make sure that you breathe. When people workout, especially with weights, they tend to hold their breath without knowing it. This is obviously not a good idea because your body needs all the oxygen it can get. You should think of oxygen as your fuel.
How you breathe I don’t think is as important as the pace of your breathing. Whether you breathe through your nose, mouth, or both just make sure it is steady and constant. Remember the idea is to intake oxygen not to get fancy or complicated with your breathing.
Another very important preventative measure is warming up and cooling down. Like I mentioned before when you suddenly stop exercising your blood circulation slows down but your blood vessels are still expanded. If you take the time to warm up and cool down then you give your body a chance to ‘catch up’ with your heart rate. This will allow your body to be more in sync with your heart.
In order to warm up and cool down effectively stretch before and after your workouts. When you decide that your workout is coming to a close don’t just stop. You have to come to a gradual stop. If your running slow down to a slow jog and then a brisk walk.
If you are on a stair master simply slow the pace down gradually until you feel relaxed and not laboring to breathe. The key is to gradually stop whatever you’re doing over several minutes.
Even if you are planning only a light workout make sure to keep it steady and be certain to keep your comfort level reasonable. Working out does not have to be a punishing experience.
Lastly, be patient. Sometimes we don’t workout for months or even years. It is unrealistic to not exercise on a regular basis and then think that you can jump back into the saddle and workout very hard.
Take your time and build up your bodies stamina. There is no need to rush because your body will do what you want it to do, but you have to give it time to build the necessary strength.
The Anxiety Connection
Now can exercise bring on an anxiety attack or startled nerves? Yes it can. This is because working out causes the body to undergo a lot of the phyiscal changes that occur during a bout of anxiety.
Profuse sweating, uncontrolled breathing, increased heart rate, dizziness, sound familiar? This is especially true if you are new to exercising vigorously. You may feel a little out of control and off balance. This can cause uneasiness and anxiety. But remember over the long term exercise is good for you!
It is normal to feel uneasy when you physically exert yourself. Your memory is tied into your phyiscal symptoms so much that the very fact that your heart rate is at 150 bpm can scare you. You may be making an unconscious connection between how you feel during or after a workout and your past experiences with anxiety – very normal.
As anxiety sufferers we are simply tuned into our bodies much more than the average person. So if anything feels off it becomes a great concern. We have to train ourselves to understand that not every bump is fatal.
Concerns
Being dizzy and lightheaded after a workout is not normal. It may happen from time to time but is should not be a regular occurrence. If you ever feel like you’re about to pass out sit down or lie down. This will balance blood flow and let your body correct itself.
In addition if you ever feel dizzy or lightheaded during a workout this could be a sign of a serious problem. In this case go see your doctor right away.
Remember that if you start to feel discomfort with respect to your balance and orientation to slow down. Scale back what you are doing or cut your workout short for the day.
Moreover if you tend to workout outside be sure to avoid intense heat or cold as these weather conditions can also cause problems.
Conclusion
The reader who asked that this topic be brought up did so because he is a healthy male in his 20’s with this very problem. He could not figure out why this was happening. Like many of us do when concerned about our health he went to his doctor and was given a stress test and found to be in good health.
I also had the exact same experience. I had a couple of workouts that caused me to feel dizzy and uneasy. I was tested for this and that and the doctor simply told me to breathe while I worked out and to not push myself too hard.
In other words, this is all very common. If you have this problem than going to your doctor is a safe bet. In fact if you are experiencing this problem and are afraid or if this problem is stopping you from exercising go and get checked up.
Once the test are run and you are cleared than you can feel confident about exercising safely. Be sure to follow the tips laid out in this post and don’t be afraid to burn off your excess adrenaline.
Fear comes so easily to us but at the same time we have to find a way to accept it. Accept that you’re sometimes fearful, uneasy, and anxious. But don’t accept any limitations on where you can go or what you can do. We can all be brave when we need to be.
Hello,
I exercise regularly and am 24 years old. I recently changed my diet, mostly just eating better, and cutting out a lot “unhealthy” choices. The last two times I go to run on the treadmill, I’ve had a very odd feeling, it’s hard to explain but ill do my best. The first time it happened was after running for 20 mins, this time it was only after 1 and half minutes of running. My body gets really “tight” and “tingling” and I start to feel very anxious. I feel like my body is about to forget how to run, and i feel like if i don’t stop, my legs are going to give out and ill fall. I immediately stop running, take a breath, and then try again but the same thing keeps happening. The majority of the feeling is tension in my upper leg, and I start to get very very scared so I stop running all together.
A lot of people are saying it might be because I changed my diet..but I am really unsure what could be causing this
Thank you
Thanks for this clarifcation on the topic. I feel better knowing that i’m ok.
IMPORTANT! Before my blood sugar was under control (before I knew I had REACTIVE hypoglycemia), cardio exercise gave me bad symptoms. Many of the symptoms felt just like the fight or flight response, except I wasn’t anxious… I was just exercising. Since I stopped having sugar, MSG, and caffeine (stimulants), the fight or flight-like symptoms don’t happen anymore. If you think you have a similar thing going on, research REACTIVE hypoglycemia. Many doctors don’t know about this kind, but it has been medically recognized. (https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthyeating/reactive-hypoglycemia.html) If you have reactive hypoglycemia, the correct knowledge on this will be life-changing.
Hello.
I have had very bad experience and I do not think it is because exercise mimics anxiety. I think there is something more profound going on.
On my first mental breakdown, I had mild depression, severe year long sleep deprivation and had to deal with unfortunate events in my life. And then I started to do interval running. It took two weeks of it and I had my first panic attack.
On my second breakdown, I started HIIT cycling.
On my third breakdown, I was just playing tennis.
And many more instances of less severe anxiety.
But what is crucial – I NEVER got anxiety right after exercise. It usually happened at night. I would wake up having severe anxiety for no good reason.It wouldn´ t stop,only medication helped. Note: I never exercised at night, but around 2 pm.
My psychiatrist told me nocturnal anxiety like this has not been explained yet. Psychologists have been trying to persuade me I am extremely competitive, hence the anxiety, but that is simply not true.
I started cycling 3 months ago. I find my anxiety hits at very random times and very random conditions. This past week, I was in the saddle for over 1.5 hours with average speeds of 15mph and heart rate from 139 to 150. (I am 54 year old male).
Took a week off due to business trip to Europe, got back on the bike and on a small 10 mile ride, I completely bugged out half way through with a major anxiety attack. Fight or flight kicked in, jumped off the bike, legs shaking, eyes out of focus, and breathing like and old dog in summer!
Used aural techniques to kill the panic attack, used a few expletives, got back on the bike and did 4 more miles.
As far as dizziness on the bike, I know it may not be normal, but when panic/anxiety kicks in, it happens. I do like the adrenaline pump to the leg muscles though. Very ying and yang, cannot breathe, but can put out 300 watts all of a sudden!
There has to be some connection to anxiety and stress loads on the body. I think it is my breathing personally, I get behind, open mouthed, uneven then begin to sense the anxiety. Not unlike the pig pile days in the school yard, (when at the bottom)
There has to be a holistic approach to quell the anxiety and block the neurotransmitters sending out the panic alarms. Has anyone tried any natural remedies during exercise?
Couldn’t agree more on the heat rate reaching 150 and in excess causing me to feel like I’m about to have a panic attack – I was blessed with the anxiety gene out of my siblings and anxiety is as much of my being as having brown eyes at this point. I can recall having anxiety attacks as young as 4th grade and as we all know it’s not something easily forgotten. It happens for me when i lift heavy weights or play basketball with my teenage sons. Tonite for example I was playing ball with them and I could feel my heart racing and my brain went into oh sh*t mode and began thinking what if I have a panic attack on top of this accelerated bpm and that’s all it took. I walked with my body tingling, that feeling in my stomach over to the water fountain and took a Xanax. Walked outside and the fresh air brought me back within 5 to 10 minutes – it’s just frustrating and exhausting. I’m 41 – on lexapro and Xanax as needed and it is what it is. I had a stress test one year ago and my heart is fine so it’s my little friend reminding me he’s still here just in case I forget. Just letting people know they’re not alone – I find that if I do the treadmill and it keeps my heart rate at 120 I’m fine. Also taking a Xanax a 1/2 hr before I work out has helped too.
Thanks for the article
Exercise increases the production of Adrenaline, one of the main neurotransmitters responsible for anxiety . Exercise increases the release of more than just seratonin, dopamine & other ” feel good” neurotransmitters.
I definitely could use some more instruction regarding how to deal with the anxiety though.
For myself, I’ve seen a doctor, been cleared for exercise, however every time I start – I totally lose it. Unless my “exercise” is super controlled (to the point where the motions are so slow as not to raise my heart rate at all – thus, not really benefiting me in anyway) I have a panic attack.
I’ve actually tried working out through the panic attack multiple times, just assuming that the exposure would eventually lessen the intensity. No such luck – I’m a big dude and all that ends up happening is that my body thinks that the hell is never going to end, responds in kind, and I end up in the corner crying like a little baby.
I NEED to exercise. I have to lose weight. But I also need to not feel so emotionally drained at the end of each session that I have to sleep for 4 – 6 hours. It’s so freaking frustrating. (And yes – I am on anxiety medication. A lot of it. I also see a therapist. I also meditate, do yoga, take CBT and DBT classes. I listen to hypnosis tapes while I sleep that are supposed to reduce anxiety.). I just don’t know what else I can do. I feel really dejected and depressed that this is just going to be my life forever…
I like this post, enjoyed this one regards for posting.
I used to go to the gym regularly except one time I had an intense workout that I almost past out. My heart raced and I could not catch my breathe. I was scared I started walking towards the restroom not knowing what to do. I jumped in the shower with cold water and it worked. It seemed to calm me down. Ever since that incident I cannot exert myself without feeling that way. If I say carry something heavy my heart starts racing and I feel like I cant get enough air again. So pretty much I have avoided doing anything that gets my heart racing. Can anyone help me?
I suffered from a panic disorder through my late 20’s and early 30’s. Horrible times. These days (late 30’s) it *touch wood hasn’t troubled me for years. Only when I’m over tired do I sometimes feel what I term ‘jittery’ and a bit like a mild panic attack is happening.
Eating well and exercise has helped a lot.
However, This past few months I have been feeling a little like I am experiancing a mild anxiety attack post exercise. I haven’t changed my gym routine, I go 3 – 4 times a week, mainly cardio and circuits. I am really hoping it goes away, I feel like anxiety disorders like to find new inventive ways to mess with you.
Like deciding to make exercise, that normally helps an issue.
It may also be the whole being more sensitive and aware of what is happening in your body when you have been an anxiry sufferer, and maybe if I’ve over done it I am picking up on this and it is self perpetuating feelings of panic.
……lets hope it goes away!
Hi Roy,
it seems like you’ve developed a fear of the fear you’ve felt after the intense workout. This anxiety induced fear of the initial fear itself, is called a panic attack. I’m no expert but I’ve studied psychology and suffer from this as well. I find it manageable. Hope this helps.
I used to workout a lot prior to the start of my anxiety and never had any issues. When I developed severe anxiety and panic attacks 3 yrs ago, I also developed severe GERD and it made it extremely uncomfortable for me to workout. I recently started working out again and some days I’m OK and other days I feel like my heart rate is through the roof and I get really dizzy and lightheaded. When this happens my panic kicks in and I think I’m about to have a heart attack. This feeling seems like it lasts forever….I wish this anxiety would go away because this cannot be my life. Ugh
Thank you, this is helpful
Been googling around sporadically about this very thing off and on for a few months now. This is as close as I’ve seen my personal experience described. Even though I don’t FEEL anxious during or after particularly hard workouts, I’ll find myself short of breath with heart palpitations for several days after. The first time it happened I was completely mystified and after 2 or 3 days it just sort of went away. The second time I was more suspicious, having noticed it felt a lot like anxiety attacks of my youth, and I tried taking a Xanax on the second day. It worked like a miracle cure, but I hadn’t had the prescription refilled in months, so I was running low and resolved just to keep my workouts more light for awhile after talking to my therapist about it. That worked, but I’m at the point now where I’d really like to step it up, yet a hard workout has gotten to be an immediate trigger for that shortness of breath that lasts for days. I’m seeing my doctor about it tomorrow, but just calling to make the appointment they were trying to convince me to get an EKG at urgent care, as though I haven’t dealt with the symptoms of anxiety for most of my life. I’m hoping the doctor tomorrow is a little less alarmist. I’ve had EKGs before, there’s never been a problem, and the fact that Xanax fixes it seems like a pretty obvious sign to me that it’s an anxiety issue, not a heart issue. We’ll see if they agree…
I’ve been an anxiety sufferer for years. I get dizzy every single time I work out and feel like I’m floating. I went to the doctor and did ALL of the tests and finally was sent to a neurologist and physiatrist. He told me it was anxiety causing the excercise induced dizziness. Anxiety causes strange symptoms in people sometimes, it’s a very hard thing to diagnose for doctors as well, but he said he had seen it many times. Also, please try Acupuncture! I cannot stress this enough, it changed my life. I am almost anxiety free after 3 years of treatment.
I really enjoy exercise which is so frustrating because I sometimes have anxiety attacks after I am done working out. I know that it is anxiety and it’s my mind pushing me into a negative spiral and feeling like I’m going to die. When I am in that moment which can last 30 minutes or a couple hours it feel so real and I have to rest and try to calm myself. It is somewhat comforting to know that I am not alone and what I am experiencing.