Dr. Jack Singer

Regular Exercise Reduces Patient Anxiety by 20 Percent, Study Finds

The anxiety that often accompanies a chronic illness can significantly interfere with the healing process and adherence to the treatment plan. But regular exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, a new University of Georgia study shows. 

Exercise sessions greater than 30 minutes were better at reducing anxiety than sessions of less than 30 minutes, the researchers found. But surprisingly, programs with a duration of between three and twelve weeks appear to be more effective at reducing anxiety than those lasting more than 12 weeks. The researchers noted that study participants were less likely to stick with the longer exercise programs, which suggests that better participation rates result in greater reductions in anxiety. 

“Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that physical activities such as walking or weight lifting may turn out to be the best medicine that physicians can prescribe to help their patients feel less anxious,” said lead author Matthew Herring, a doctoral student in the department of kinesiology, part of the UGA College of Education. 

As reported in Science Daily, “The patients in the studies suffered from a variety of conditions, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer and chronic pain from arthritis. In 90 percent of the studies examined, the patients randomly assigned to exercise had fewer anxiety symptoms, such as feelings of worry, apprehension and nervousness, than the control group. “We found that exercise seems to work with just about everybody under most situations,” said study co-author Pat O’Connor, professor and co-director of the UGA Exercise Psychology Laboratory. “Exercise even helps people who are not very anxious to begin with become more calm.” 

You can see the tremendous value of exercise goes well beyond body image and weight management.  By reducing anxiety and depression, exercise goes a long way toward healing the body.  Healing starts with the mind and exercise enables the mind to perform its magic for the body!

Jack N. Singer, Ph.D.
Certified, Licensed Sport Psychologist
Diplomate, National Institute of Sports Professionals, Division of Psychologists
Diplomate, American Academy of Behavioral Medicine
Certified Hypnotherapist, American Academy of Clinical Hypnosis

Call 1-800-497-9880 now for a FREE 20 minute phone consultation with Dr. Jack Singer.

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A new book loaded with research, strategies, tips and examples helps teachers build resiliency to stress, avoid burnout and regain teaching effectiveness.

 When a summer break becomes just a memory and the back-to-school excitement wears off, frequently what’s left are long hours, loads of homework, after-school activities, large class sizes, testing requirements, and relentless pressure from parents and school officials. These are just some of the stress-inducing daily challenges faced by teachers.

While teaching is widely recognized as one of the most stressful occupations, there are very few resources teachers can use to learn job-specific stress management techniques. Many magazines devote their back-to-school issues to providing advice to parents and students on how to deal with school stress, yet few even mention teachers’ stress. Online, only one out of ten articles on stress relief in school is aimed at teachers. And the ones that are typically provide only generic advice.

That is why Dr. Jack Singer’s release of a new book “The Teacher’s ULTIMATE Stress Mastery Guide” is both timely and much-needed. This stress mastery guide is directed specifically for the challenges that teachers face in and out of school. It shows teachers the exact tools to use in proactively building their resiliency to stress and burnout. The book includes action plans for mastering the different types of stress, success stories from teachers, and strategies based on cognitive and resilience theory.

Beth Madison, the Principal at George Middle School in Portland, OR advises teachers to read this book. “Your stress is not going away. [This book] might not just be a life changer, but a life saver”.

Many teachers quit after less than 5 years on the job because of, among other reasons, mounting stress levels. Dr. Singer’s new book helps these frustrated teachers to boost psychological immunity as well as increase teaching effectiveness. It also helps school administrators trying to support and retain their teachers.

Dr. Singer’s “Teacher’s ULTIMATE Stress Master Guide” is published by Corwin Press jointly with the Ontario Principals’ Council and is available at Amazon.com or http://drjacksinger.com

About Dr. Jack Singer

Dr. Jack Singer is a licensed Clinical, Sports and Industrial/Organizational Psychologist, author, trainer and consultant and one of the North America’s top motivational speakers. Dr. Singer is regularly contacted by CNN, MSNBC, Fox and other networks and radio shows for his expertise. Dr. Singer has been in private practice for over 30 years, working with a diverse range of clients from top athletes to families to Fortune 1000 companies. Dr. Singer’s teaching career includes teaching in the Psychology departments of seven universities, including four years as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Dr. Singer’s research and self-help articles appear regularly in business, medical, human resources and sports journals across the United States. For information about Dr. Jack Singer, please visit http://drjacksinger.com.