A few years ago, I found myself sitting on my porch in Bali, heart racing, thoughts spiraling, trapped in the kind of anxiety that tightens your chest and makes it hard to breathe. It was one of those nights where my mind wouldn’t shut off – just running in circles, feeding into the worry. In a moment of desperation, I threw on my running shoes and decided to head out into the warm tropical night. I wasn’t looking to break any records; I just needed an escape.
As my feet hit the pavement and the humid air filled my lungs, something unexpected happened: my mind started to slow down. By the time I got home, tired but at peace, my anxiety had loosened its grip. For the first time that day, I felt like myself again. It got me wondering: does running really help with anxiety? In my experience, the answer is a big yes – but it’s not a quick fix, and it’s definitely not a replacement for professional help. In this article, I’ll take you through my personal experience with running and anxiety, break down why running is such a powerful tool for anxiety relief, and offer practical tips to get started. Let’s dive in, one step at a time.
My Anxiety and How Running Became My Release
I haven’t always been the running coach living in Bali. In my early 20s, I was just a guy struggling with anxiety. Back then, it felt like I had a heavy cloud following me everywhere. I’d wake up with a knot in my stomach, already thinking of a dozen “what-ifs” before my feet even hit the floor. Whether it was work stress, personal problems, or sometimes nothing at all, anxiety would hit me out of nowhere.
I tried the usual distractions – binge-watching TV, scrolling through my phone – but those were just temporary band-aids. The anxiety always crept back.
Then running entered my life almost by accident. One particularly tough day, after hours of feeling on edge, I decided I needed to do something, anything, to break the cycle. I remembered an old pair of running shoes collecting dust in my closet. With nothing to lose, I put them on and jogged around my neighborhood for about 15 minutes. It wasn’t pretty – I was gasping for air, out of shape – but when I stopped, I realized something surprising: my hands weren’t shaking anymore. My thoughts weren’t racing. I felt a noticeable shift, like I had just flipped a switch on my stress. That short run didn’t fix everything, but it made me feel lighter.
From that day, running evolved from just a workout into my therapy in motion. Whenever anxiety started bubbling up – that tight chest, that racing heart – I learned to lace up and run through it. I’ll never forget one night when panic hit me out of nowhere (you know how it is, anxiety doesn’t give you a warning). It was around 9 PM, and I could feel the familiar wave of dread taking over. Instead of sitting around, feeling trapped, I threw on my shoes and ran under the moonlight along a quiet beach road. The rhythm of my footsteps in the sand, the sound of the waves crashing in the distance, my deep breaths – all of it brought me back to the moment. By the end of that run, the panic had melted into a calm exhaustion. I leaned against a palm tree, sweat pouring down my face, but I was smiling. I felt okay.
Little by little, run by run, I realized that running gave me a sense of control over my anxiety that I’d never had before.
But let’s be real: Running didn’t cure my anxiety overnight. It didn’t fix everything, and it’s not a miracle solution. But it became one of the most reliable tools in my toolbox. I still had anxious days (and I still do), but I knew that even a short jog could ease the worry, or sometimes even chase it away entirely. Soon, I started calling my morning runs my “moving meditation” or my “cheap therapy.” Friends noticed the change – I went from being the guy who canceled plans because of anxiety to the guy who said, “Hey, how about we jog and talk it out?” when a friend was struggling.
Over time, I also realized I wasn’t alone in this. So many people face anxiety – in fact, about 40 million adults in the U.S. alone suffer from diagnosed anxiety disorders (according to runkeeper.com). It’s a huge issue, and many of us are looking for ways to feel better that don’t just rely on medication or sitting in a therapist’s office. That’s part of why I became a running coach. I’ve seen firsthand how running can be a lifeline for anxiety relief, both in myself and in the runners I coach.
Why Does Anxiety Feel So Overwhelming?
Before we get into how running helps, it’s helpful to understand what we’re up against. If you’ve ever had anxiety, you know it’s more than just “worry.” Anxiety is an all-consuming experience that takes over both your mind and body. When I felt anxious, it wasn’t just my thoughts racing – my body felt it too. My heart would thump in my chest, my breath would get shallow, and my muscles would tighten like I was bracing for something bad to happen. This is what we call the “fight or flight” response. It’s your body’s way of preparing to face a threat, even if that threat is something small, like being late to a meeting or having an awkward conversation.
In a way, anxiety is just your survival instincts working overtime. The same adrenaline rush that could save you if you encounter a predator is triggered by everyday stresses. Our ancestors survived by fighting or running from danger, but today’s stresses (like social pressure or work deadlines) don’t require running from a saber-toothed tiger. So that pent-up energy has nowhere to go. You’re stuck in a high-alert state, unable to release the tension. That’s why anxiety can feel so overwhelming – your body is ready to fight or run, but you’re standing still, mentally overloaded, and physically tense.
For me, understanding this was a breakthrough moment. It helped explain why I felt better after a run. By running, I was giving my body the release it desperately needed. I wasn’t sitting still with those nervous jitters anymore. I was moving, sweating, and letting my body do what it was built to do when stressed: get rid of that anxious energy.
And there’s some science behind it too. When you exercise, you’re completing the stress response cycle. One runner on a forum summed it up perfectly: when you’re anxious, your body is preparing you to fight or flee. Until you do, your body stays on high alert. But once you actually go for a run (essentially “fleeing” in a healthy way), the body gets the message that it’s safe to relax (reddit.com). In my life, running became that healthy escape my body needed to calm down from that anxious high.
The Science: How Running Eases Anxiety
Alright, I’m a coach, not a scientist, but I’ve made it my business to figure out why running does wonders for my mental health. And here’s the thing—it’s not just in our heads. There’s actual science behind why running eases anxiety, and knowing this helps me feel better about recommending it to my athletes. Trust me, when you lace up and hit the pavement, real magic happens. Here’s why running helps relieve anxiety:
- It Triggers Calming Brain Chemicals
You’ve probably heard of endorphins—the “feel-good” hormones released during exercise. They’re the ones that give you that “runner’s high” and make you feel euphoric. But get this—recent research suggests the real anxiety-fighting champion could be something even more powerful: endocannabinoids. These are cannabis-like chemicals that our bodies produce naturally. When you run, you get a surge of endocannabinoids that can cross into your brain, helping to calm things down and reduce anxiety. Basically, your brain gets drenched in a mix of anti-anxiety chemicals like endorphins, endocannabinoids, serotonin, and GABA—all working together to lift your mood and relax you. (I know it sounds like a lot, but trust me, it’s all good!) According to Harvard Health, serotonin is the mood stabilizer many anxiety meds target, and GABA is like your brain’s natural chill pill. - It Burns Off Stress Hormones
Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can make anxiety feel like an out-of-control engine. When you’re stressed, your body pumps out these hormones, and they keep you on edge. But when you run, you’re burning through these stress hormones. Running helps lower adrenaline and cortisol levels in your body, which helps you calm down. For me, it’s like I’m literally sweating out the cortisol that built up during a stressful day. And as Harvard Health points out, aerobic exercise is key to reducing these stress hormones. - It Relaxes Muscle Tension
If you’ve ever noticed your neck getting stiff or your jaw clenching when you’re anxious, you know that anxiety lives in your muscles. Running acts like a natural muscle relaxant. When you get moving, your muscles burn energy, then release tension. After a run, I often feel physically looser and lighter—it’s that muscle tension melting away. And research backs this up: exercise helps relax your muscles and clears stress-related chemicals from your bloodstream. Your body’s more relaxed, and it sends a signal to your brain that things are okay, interrupting the cycle of anxiety. - It Engages Your Flight Instinct in a Healthy Way
This one’s a bit more of a theory, but it rings true for me—and many other runners. Think about that fight-or-flight response we all experience when anxiety strikes. Running is like a safe outlet for that “flight” instinct. When I start to feel panic—my heart racing, chest tightening—I go for a run. It’s like I’m giving my body the action it craves, and in return, it calms down. One study even compared exercise to exposure therapy for panic because it helps you get used to physical symptoms like heart pounding and sweating in a safe way. Over time, those sensations become normal, and you don’t panic anymore. - It Boosts Your Brain’s Resilience
Here’s where it gets wild: regular running doesn’t just change your mood for the day; it actually changes your brain. Cardio, like running, stimulates neurogenesis—the growth of new brain cells, especially in the hippocampus, which is key for mood and memory regulation. Some of these new cells even release GABA, the calming neurotransmitter. Princeton scientists found that mice who ran regularly had brains that handled stress better because their new neurons helped them calm down faster. So, running literally builds you a mental buffer against anxiety. Plus, running increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, and it even triggers BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which helps protect neurons from damage. Long story short? Running makes your brain more resilient to anxiety over time. - It Activates the Happy Part of Your Brain
When we’re anxious, our brain’s amygdala—the fear center—fires off like crazy. Running helps engage the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that can tell the amygdala to chill out and stop overreacting. Think of it like this: the prefrontal cortex is the wise coach telling the amygdala, “Hey, it’s not that serious.” Over time, running helps you train your brain to handle stress better. In fact, studies have shown that active people have better control over their stress response than those who don’t exercise. Running helps me “train my brain” just as much as I train my body. - Better Sleep (and More Stable Mood)
Anyone who’s dealt with anxiety knows how sleep and stress go hand in hand. When you’re anxious, it’s hard to sleep—and when you’re tired, it makes anxiety worse. But here’s the good news: running helps you sleep better. And I can tell you from experience: on days I run, I sleep like a rock. On days I don’t, I toss and turn. Better sleep means a calmer mind the next day. If running helps you sleep, it breaks that vicious cycle of sleep-deprived anxiety.
That’s a lot of science, but here’s the bottom line: running is like a natural, all-in-one anti-anxiety treatment. It releases mood-boosting chemicals, burns off stress hormones, relaxes muscles, and even helps rebuild your brain to better handle stress. And the best part? It works right away, but the benefits keep building over time. You’ll notice a mood boost within minutes of starting a run (usually after about 10–20 minutes, I get that “Ah, I’m okay” feeling). Research even shows that just 5 to 10 minutes of moderate exercise can improve your mood and reduce anxiety—so you don’t need to run for hours to get the benefits.
One study even found that people who were more physically active had better protection against developing anxiety than those who weren’t as active. So yeah, running is armor against anxiety. Some studies even suggest that exercise can be just as effective as medication or therapy for managing anxiety—though I’m not saying you should toss your meds just yet. More on that later.
One of the coolest things I’ve learned is that even a 10-minute walk can be as effective as a 45-minute workout in relieving anxiety. So, you don’t have to train for a marathon to feel better—just getting out there for a quick run or walk can make a huge difference.
Okay, now I want to hear from you: what’s your go-to way to beat anxiety? Drop a comment and let’s talk about how running helps you, or if you’ve got other ways that work!