Does Anxiety Increase Your Metabolism?

Anxiety is typically an unpleasant feeling. You go from feeling normal, or even relaxed, to a state of arousal. Your body is suddenly on high alert and prepared for action. It might seem as though being anxious should increase your metabolism because it is such an active feeling. Ironically, it has the opposite effect. To understand this, you need to know a little bit about the purpose of anxiety and its physical and psychological effects.

Definition

• Anxiety is a state of being in which a person's "fight or flight" instinct is triggered. It ensures that you are physically ready to either fight or flee from an enemy or dangerous situation by causing physical changes in the body. The anxiety response is the same whether the threat is real or incorrectly perceived.

Psychological Effects

• Although anxiety is usually unpleasant, it can sometimes manifest itself as excitement. However, it is most commonly experienced as a form of fear or fearful anticipation. Eventually, it can lead to feelings of emotional detachment. This is a self-protective response that occurs before the anxiety can become overwhelming. Ongoing anxiety can lead to memory and concentration problems.

Physical Effects

• Anxiety causes several concrete physical effects. The most common of these include a racing heart, fast breathing, dry mouth, pounding in the head, sweating, trembling and diarrhea. In the long term, anxiety can impair the immune system and lead to muscle cramping and problems with cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Metabolic Effects

• At first glance, it seems as though anxiety would raise a person's metabolic level because it has "active" effects, including a racing heart and rapid breath. In reality, it has the opposite effect, according to Inner Health Studio. Anxiety slows down metabolism because it diverts the body's resources from functions such as digestion to preparation for fight or flight. Blood is pulled away from the digestive system and other organs and channeled to the muscles. The blood's fat concentration increases so it is available for quick energy. The metabolism slows because it is no longer the body's priority.

Prevention

• You can prevent a slowdown in your metabolism by preventing anxiety. If you can't do it on your own, a therapist can help you. In severe cases where the anxiety is interfering with your everyday life, a psychiatrist can prescribe anti-anxiety drugs, known as benzodiazepines. These medications typically relieve anxiety in 30 to 60 minutes. Since they work so quickly, you can take them when you feel an attack coming on, or in the midst of an episode. However, be aware of possible side effects, which include fatigue and sleepiness. Your thinking might become clouded and your coordination might feel slightly impaired. Don't drive after taking these drugs.