Reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Exercise interventions repeatedly have been shown to be efficacious for the treatment of depression, and initial studies indicate similar efficacy for the treatment of anxiety conditions. To further study the potential beneficial role of prescriptive exercise for anxiety-related conditions, we examined the role of exercise in reducing fears of anxiety-related sensations (anxiety sensitivity). METHODS: We randomly assigned 60 participants with elevated levels of anxiety sensitivity to a 2-week exercise intervention, a 2-week exercise plus cognitive restructuring intervention, or a waitlist control condition. Assessment of outcome was completed at pretreatment, midtreatment, 1-week posttreatment, and 3-week follow-up. RESULTS: We found that both exercise conditions led to clinically significant changes in anxiety sensitivity that were superior to the waitlist condition, representing a large controlled effect size (d=2.15). Adding a cognitive component did not facilitate the effects of the exercise intervention. Consistent with hypotheses, changes in anxiety sensitivity mediated the beneficial effects of exercise on anxious and depressed mood. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss these findings in terms of the potential role of exercise as an additional psychosocial intervention for conditions such as panic disorder, where anxiety sensitivity is a prominent component of pathology.
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Other studies show rapid benefits of exercise on anxiety, mood, and anxiety sensitivity.
“Given evidence of rapid benefits from exercise on anxiety, mood, and anxiety sensitivity in other studies (Medina et al., 2014; Smits et al., 2008)”
From Identifying attendance patterns in a smoking cessation treatment and their relationships with quit success (2017) · cites this paper as Smits et al., 2008
Exercise may influence smoking relapse risk factors within only a few early sessions, given evidence of rapid exercise benefits on anxiety, mood, and anxiety sensitivity.
“Given evidence of rapid benefits from exercise on anxiety, mood, and anxiety sensitivity in other studies (Medina et al., 2014; Smits et al., 2008), exercise may exert its influence on risk factors for smoking relapse in only a few sessions early on in treatment.”
From Identifying attendance patterns in a smoking cessation treatment and their relationships with quit success (2017) · cites this paper as Smits et al., 2008
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSeveral studies have found physical activity to reduce anxiety sensitivity by producing physiological responses similar to high anxious states without the negative anxious feelings associated with such arousal.
“Several studies have found PA to reduce anxiety sensitivity by reliably producing similar physiological responses as experienced with high anxious states, such as increased heart rate, but without the negative, anxious feelings that people with anxiety disorders have grown to associate with such physiological arousal [85, 86].”
From Moving to Beat Anxiety: Epidemiology and Therapeutic Issues with Physical Activity for Anxiety (2018) · cites this paper as [85]
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References 73 · Cited by 298
Research works printed but not linked: 3
- [61]61. Otto M, Reilly-Harrington N. The impact of treatment on anxiety sensitivity. In: Taylor S, editor. Anxiety sensitivity: theory research and treatment of the fear of anxiety. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers; 1999:321-336.
- [70]70. Dimidjian S, Hollon SD, Dobson KS, Schmaling KB, Kohlen- berg KB, Addis MF, Gallop R, McGlinchey JB, Markley DK, Gollan JK, Atkins DC, Dunner DL, Jacobson NS. Randomized trial of behavioral activation cognitive therapy and antidepressant medication in the acute treatment of adults with major depression. J Consult Clin Psychol 2006;74:58-70.
- [71]71. Jacobson NS, Dobson KS, Truax PA, Addis ME, Koerner K, Gollan JK, Gorther E, Prince SE. A component analysis of coginitive behavioral treatment for depression. J Consult Clin Psychol 1996;64:295-304.
- Authors
- Smits, J. A. J., Berry, A. C., Rosenfield, D., Powers, M. B., Behar, E., & Otto, M. W.
- Affiliations
- Southern Methodist University (US)
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
- Boston University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Smits, Jasper A.J.
- Venue
- Depression and Anxiety
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2008-08
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 689-699
- ISSN
- 1091-4269 (ISSN-L)
- 1520-6394
- OpenAlex
- W2038105299
- Semantic Scholar
- 8d60534e407b074bc45808444511c8a211cca465
- Cited by
- 298
- References
- 73
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 15.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Depression and Anxiety (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (publishedVersion)
- Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Keywords
- anxiety sensitivity, exercise intervention, cognitive restructuring, panic disorder, anxious mood, depressive mood, psychosocial interventions
- MeSH terms
- Anxiety, Depressive Disorder, Ethnicity, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Severity of Illness Index, Exercise, Young Adult
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