Exercise reduces anxiety

Feeling anxious? Hit the gym, experts say. A new study from the University of Maryland found that moderate exercise can help people manage future stress and anxiety, and the benefits may last long after a workout. "While it is well known that exercise improves mood, among other benefits, not as much is known about the potency of exercise's impact on emotional state and whether these positive effects endure when we're faced with everyday stressors once we leave the gym," said researcher J. Carson Smith. "We found that exercise helps to buffer the effects of emotional exposure. If you exercise, you'll not only reduce your anxiety, but you'll be better able to maintain that reduced anxiety when confronted with emotional events."