Physical exercise also appears to act specifically to stretch tense muscles, deepen breathing and alter a person's biochemistry to promote mental health. If you are feeling tense, anxious, depressed, stressed or having difficulty sleeping, perhaps an exercise program is just the thing to get you feeling better. However, if your symptoms are severe or prolonged you should consult a professional. Our sense of emotional distress is often related to a feeling of things being out of our control. When we are depressed or anxious we often feel trapped and as if things are happening to us and we cannot protect ourselves, or we don't know an effective course of action to improve our situation.
Exercise seems to change all of that.
After beginning and sticking to even a modest exercise program, people begin to feel a sense of taking control over their life. They often describe a sense of mastery over themselves, their body and their lives. Biological Factors S tress and anxiety lead to a pattern of physical reactions characterized by tense muscles, rapid shallow breathing and the stimulation of the adrenal glands which pour adrenaline into the system. The body is mobilized for action. It may be that tens of thousands of years ago this was an adaptive response.