How to Exercise When It Feels like A Panic Attack

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If you have anxiety, exercise can be a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it has tremendous benefits, like:

• Decreasing heart palpitations
• Sleeping better
• Reducing stress

But in some people with anxiety, exercise can initiate panic attacks.

Not just a little anxiety, but a full-blown panic attack.

• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Choking feeling
• Chest pain
• Thinking that you’re having a heart attack, or you’re about to die.

So if you, or someone you know, have anxiety and get this reaction to exercise, how do you get the upsides of exercise with none of the downsides?

That’s what I’ll cover in this article.

Why Can Exercise Induce A Panic Attack?

There are a lot of similarities between exercise and a panic attack:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased adrenaline
• Faster respiratory rate (you breathe faster)
• Sweating