Can Running Trigger the Development of a Panic Attack or An Anxiety Attack

Can Running Trigger the Development of a Panic Attack or An Anxiety Attack?

The most straightforward answer is maybe. We all know someone with a panic or anxiety attack experiences nausea, shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness, and increased heart rate. When you engage in a strenuous exercise, your flight or fight response turns on. This results in similar symptoms a person with a panic or anxiety attack experiences. When people feel sweaty or experience a faster heartbeat during or after the exercise, they may fear that something bad will happen (think: collapsing, fainting, dying or receiving criticism). As an anxiety or panic attacks expert, I found out that this worsens the aforementioned physical symptoms, increasing the risk of panic or anxiety attacks.

Elena Ognivtseva
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Nutritionist, Cornell University, MS

I believe that nutrition science is a wonderful helper both for the preventive improvement of health and adjunctive therapy in treatment. My goal is to help people improve their health and well-being without torturing themselves with unnecessary dietary restrictions. I am a supporter of a healthy lifestyle – I play sports, cycle, and swim in the lake all year round. With my work, I have been featured in Vice, Country Living, Harrods magazine, Daily Telegraph, Grazia, Women's Health, and other media outlets.

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