Exercise makes you less anxious

From New York Times Well Blog post Why Exercise Makes You Less Anxious:

But the youngest brain cells in the running rats, the cells that the scientists assumed were created by running, were less likely to express the genes. They generally remained quiet. The “cells born from running,” the researchers concluded, appeared to have been “specifically buffered from exposure to a stressful experience.” The rats had created, through running, a brain that seemed biochemically, molecularly, calm.

Yes: the stress of running or other exercise causes the brain to produce new cells that are wired to react differently to stress — at least in rats.

Researchers know that exercise works to boost mood, relieve stress, and can be used to treat depression and anxiety. But what was less clear before now was how exercise affects the brain.

This study suggests that a sustained exercise habit — three to six weeks in rats — helps your brain rewire itself in a way that greatly reduces anxiety symptoms.