Why you might not need to ‘HIIT’ yourself…..

The type of exercise you do matters.

Even before I became a Movement Therapist, I had always been interested in diet, nutrition, and healthcare. So, when I was going through a major period of anxiety, I knew that I should be exercising more. After all, the benefits of exercise are well documented to include better heart health, weight loss, and that hit of dopamine – the ‘feel good hormone’.

So I took myself off to the local park one Saturday morning (I think on reflection somewhat begrudgingly!) to join ‘Military Fitness’ – a boot camp style, outdoors, session that was going to make me feel great. Under instruction, we worked both individually, in pairs, and as part of a team to do push-ups, burpees, running relays, and longer runs around the park, and generally push ourselves to the limits.

I absolutely hated it.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love being outdoors. The benefits of green space, and being in nature are well documented, being especially emphasised during the COVID-19 lockdown, and subsequently promoted for our mental health. I love a good walk in the woods.

However, I really don’t like running (I’d go so far to say that I hate it?!) In Military Fitness, I was always at the back, which made me feel even more anxious, and I don’t really respond well to being shouted at to get me moving. I did persevere for a few weeks, but in the end, I handed over the reins to my husband, who has been going pretty much religiously every week for the last 8 years or so. It’s perfect for him as 1) he’s a runner and 2) he’s been in the Military so being shouted at was nothing new.

But was there something else going on that made me feel worse?

Well, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense exercise, followed by brief periods of rest, or less intensive exercise. It’s become popular, in our time-poor society for its ability to burn calories, improve cardio-vascular health, and also for its suggested improvements in brain-health through the promotion of BDNF – Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor, a chemical which improves neural pathways in the brain.

Whilst all that sounds good – for those of us prone to anxiety, there’s a problem. During HIIT, the body perceives the intense activity as a stressor, and this psychological response releases the hormone Cortisol to ensure that necessary energy is available for the task at hand. Whilst this might be a natural response, if you are suffering from anxiety, then your Cortisol levels are already likely to be high (and more so in the morning, when many HIIT sessions are undertaken). Persistent and elevated Cortisol adds to chronic anxiety, and also has other negative effects such as disrupted sleep, poor memory and cognitive function, plus weight gain around the abdomen.

So what might be better?

Well, when I went back to Pilates in my 40’s (after quite a long break) I was searching for an answer to lower back pain. But over time, what I realised was the positive aspect it had on my anxiety. It brought me to a sense of awareness, to calm, and in turn, I was able to find that ‘baseline’ of my nervous system that I could then move from with more ease. It led me to a complete career change, and one where I now use a calm and intuitive approach to facilitate positive movement experiences that improve both your physical and mental health.

Let’s face it, we have enough going on, without beating ourselves up that we’re not ‘feeling the burn’ or ‘working up a sweat’ first thing in the morning. We’re juggling careers, family (often caring for younger and older generations), and coping with the other general demands of life.

So, if you know you need to move, but also are in a period of anxiety right now, don’t feel you have to ‘HIIT’ yourself. Try Pilates. You can do that outdoors too, and your body and brain will thank you.