has exercise/movement helped anyone?

Has anyone felt better or had less withdrawal symptoms with regular exercise/moving around more? I've seen a lot of studies about the positive impact on the brain and body. Also, anecdotally speaking, when I used to run daily, prior to being on benzos, I was at the point in my life where I was least anxious without panic attacks.

I felt exercise helped me.  It didn't make me feel good (nothing did), but I think it helped calm me a bit as long as I didn't overdo it.  I bike commuted to/from work daily, and did some longer weekend rides.  Also walked the golf course once a week.  Occasional gym work-outs.

My doctor told me 30 minutes of exercise can help with withdrawal.

Exercise is good in the fresh air.  In nature.  It doesn't make me feel any better when I am in a wave, but it feels grand when I am having a window.

 

I have a feeling that it makes my body get thru my taper quicker.  My muscles are tight and leaden, and the extra oxygen challenges that, and gets everything moving. 

 

That said, I think badsocref got it right to not over-do it.  I got seriously sick - emergency room sick, when I completed building a house last year during my taper.  I would have to curl up in a fetal position after work, sometimes for hours, and just try to breathe and get my shoulders to unclench.  It was brutal.  I was like that almost every day. 

 

Half hour a day when you can sounds right.  More if your body agrees!

I've made mistakes with exercising because I didn't build up and go slowly. I've started and stopped many times. Recently I was so sick of being afraid of doing exercise due to symptoms and suffering poor health that I started doing yoga, working with weights, and long walks simultaneously. I crashed, not having done much, really, feeling depleted and anxious.

 

The only thing I do now is go on long walks. I've had to build up to hill climbs, but gradually it's getting better. I'd like to do yoga and work with weights, but right now I actually feel like I'm getting some endorphins and have a happier outlook with the long walks and some hill climbs, but I still can't exercise every day.

 

A plant-based diet is also helping me. 

 

There is an exercise support group started by drew. Have you read that?

 

All in all, I'm glad I stuck with exercise instead of giving up entirely due to symptoms. I think it's finally starting to pay back now.

Walks in my opinions are the best way to exercise without pushing for symptoms..And more if can be done in the woods!

Yes, me. Slow, rhythmic movements involving light stretching and light weights (prob half of what you're used to lifting) is good for you.

Remember to build up your strength slowly. Ever so slowly.

 

The benzos strip your muscles down and your nerves, so it's important not to overdo it, otherwise you risk throbbing the CNS for days at a time, and you don't want that.

 

Exercise, but do so lightly and slowly.

 

30m of light exercise 3x a week beats one heavy session of 45m and being wiped out for weeks at a time. Take it from someone who's experienced this.

 

Dave.

 

Had a workout today actually. It turned into an hour workout, but that's okay. I still have a little bit of energy left without being totally zonked out 

Dave.