-- Releases “feel-good" endorphins and neurotransmitters that improve your mood.

 -- Balances blood sugar levels for up to thirty-six hours after exercising. This minimizes symptoms triggered by low blood sugar.

 -- Could help you be significantly less affected by stress over the long-term by changing your body's automatic stress response. Exercise reduces the amount of adrenaline and other neurotransmitters released during stress that create symptoms.

 -- Relaxes you by releasing muscle tension.

 -- It's likely that a chemical that is released in the brain during aerobic exercise helps the body mend itself from some of the harmful effects of stress.

I know it's tough to even think about exercising when anxiety symptoms drag you down. I used to feel the same way. Boy, was I surprised to discover that exercise made a dramatic difference for me. (The key is starting gradually if your symptoms are intense -- even one or two minutes of walking in your house a few times a day is a great start!) Most anxiety sufferers mistakenly believe that their anxiety symptoms prevent them from exercising because they feel physically overwhelmed and fatigued. The truth is that exercise is one of the best tools you have to turn the tables on your anxiety symptoms. If you're fatigued, exercise will energize you! Start slowly and gradually build the length of time that you exercise. Walking is one of the simplest exercises because it's easy, does not require lots of equipment, and you can do it just about anywhere.