Fitness Bands for Anxiety, Mental Health?

Fitness bands are designed to improve an individual’s physical fitness, but can this same product help improve anxiety and general mental health as well?  When I purchased a fitness band a while back, it was with the intention of boosting my physical health and fitness level. Little did I know, this skinny, high-tech device on my wrist would also improve anxiety and my overall sense of mental health. 

Fitness Bands for All Health: Mind and Body are Connected

Really, it makes perfect sense. Mental health and physical health are intimately intertwined. Some argue that the term “mental illness” is irrelevant because the brain is an organ, as much a part of the body as the heart, lungs, or any other organ. It’s not separate from the body.

The entire body and mind, when working properly, works as a system, a proverbial well-oiled machine. Sometimes, though, things get “off,” and when that happens, we can feel physically unwell, mentally unwell, or both. (The Effect of Physical Health on Mental Illness) We can have vague mental and physical complaints, or we could experience something specific like anxiety. Therefore, when I started using a fitness band for my physical health, my mental health, including anxiety, improved, too.

How a Fitness Band Helped My Anxiety and Mental Health

As I worked to improve physical health, I was pleasantly surprised to notice that my anxiety decreased and my mental health and wellbeing increased. Here’s how my anxiety improved as I wore my fitness band:

Routine Exercise Fitness bands track steps and workouts, and in so doing encourage people to get moving throughout the day. Exercise has many mental health benefits, so as I walked more, climbed the stairs more, and just got moving during the day, my anxiety was reduced significantly.

Deep Breathing Some fitness bands allow people to schedule breathing breaks in which the band sets a slow pace for its wearer to follow. Slow, rhythmic deep breathing reduces stress and anxiety and induces a sense of calm. Sometimes we forget to breathe properly, especially when our anxiety or other mental health stressors are intense. I found that taking deep breathing breaks during the day lowered my anxiety levels. (See also Breathing Exercises to Reduce Stress.)

Water Drinking plenty of water is vital for both physical and mental health. A lack of water can lead to things like headaches and muscle tension, which can be both a symptom and a trigger of anxiety. Entering my water helped me remember to continue drinking as the day progressed.

Sleep. Adequate sleep is vital for mental health.  (The (Dysfunctional) Relationship Between Sleep and Anxiety)When I’m sleep deprived, I’m anxious. This fitness band tracks sleep and reports quality. I’m reminded to get a good night’s sleep, and going to bed on time rather than wandering around tidying up or reading one more chapter in a book has had a positive effect on my anxiety.

A Visual Reminder It’s common in anxiety treatment to have something tangible to remind someone of anxiety management strategies (Using Objects to Reduce Anxiety). I discovered that simply wearing the band on my wrist came to be a reminder of all of the great health benefits, physical and mental, I’m experiencing. It has come to be a symbol of health and vitality, of increased self-confidence, and of living life without anxiety.

Using a fitness band has reduced my anxiety and increased mental health and wellbeing. That said, a fitness band isn’t a required anxiety-reducing tool. Exercise, deep breathing, water, sleep, and a symbolic reminder can all happen without technology. Whether or not you use a fitness band, you can use the principles to lower anxiety and increase mental health and wellbeing.

Let’s connect. I blog here. Find me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest. My mental health novels, including one about severe anxiety, are here.

from Anxiety-Schmanxiety Blog http://ift.tt/2dllTcb