3 Ways Movement Supports Your Mental Health
Have you ever thought about an uncertain future and felt your heart race, your palms sweat, or your stomach drop?
Everyone experiences anxiety or self-doubt from time to time. Sometimes it’s situational, like giving a big presentation at work or going on a first date with someone you’re excited about. Other times, those feelings are more persistent, showing up in daily life in ways that feel overwhelming or hard to shake.
If you're someone who’s more familiar with the ongoing experience of anxiety, you probably already know that therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes can all be valuable parts of mental health care. But what’s often overlooked is the impact of movement on mental well-being.
Mindful movement practices, like yoga, Pilates, or even walking with intention, can be powerful tools for regulating anxiety and building self-esteem. In this post, I’ll share three ways movement supports your mental health, both in and out of the studio.
Movement Regulates Your Nervous System
When we experience anxiety or stress, our bodies go into fight-or-flight mode, a survival mechanism that prepares us to either fight off danger or flee from it. This response is triggered by a perceived threat, even if that threat isn’t life-threatening, like a difficult conversation or a looming deadline.
Physiologically, your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes shallow, and blood is directed toward your muscles and vital organs, away from nonessential functions like digestion (which is why chronic stress can often lead to digestive issues). Your body is gearing up for action, to fight or run for your life, even if what you actually need is calm and clarity.
One of the most effective ways to counteract this stress response is slow, controlled breathing. It’s the opposite of what your body does in fight-or-flight mode, so when you intentionally take deep breaths, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s natural calming response. This tells your brain, “I’m safe.” The flood of cortisol and adrenaline slows, and your body begins to return to a more regulated state.
My body catapults into fight-or-flight the moment I step into a public speaking situation. I have a strong fear of public speaking, honestly I’m terrified of it. Even talking in front a small group of people can send adrenaline and cortisol coursing through my system. My heart races and my hands shake. Blood rushes to my muscles and vital organs, and away from my frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for logical thinking and decision-making. How frustrating when all I really need is to be able to think clearly about what I want to say!
But when I pause and focus on deep breathing, I can feel my heart rate slow and my body start to settle. I’m still nervous, but I can function. My frontal lobe comes back online and I can remember my name. And that makes all the difference.
In many forms of mindful movement, like Pilates or yoga, breath is integrated into the practice. You synchronize your breath with your movement, slowing it down and becoming more intentional. This alone can help lower stress, regulate your nervous system, and bring your awareness back into your body.
You can take this tool with you outside the studio to help regulate your fight-or-flight response. Practicing intentional breathing, whether during a walk, a commute, or a moment of anxiety, can shift your focus away from racing thoughts and back into the present moment. It’s simple, portable, and one of the most effective ways to manage anxiety in the moment.
Movement Increases Distress Tolerance and Resilience
Distress tolerance is your ability to sit with uncomfortable emotions without reacting impulsively or turning to unhealthy coping strategies for quick relief.
We all experience emotional and physical discomfort at some point. Learning how to manage that discomfort, without feeling overwhelmed or paralyzed by it, is a key part of reducing anxiety, managing depression, and building a stronger, more stable sense of self-worth.
A higher distress tolerance gives you confidence. It helps you feel proud of yourself afterward and builds trust in your ability to make it through hard moments.
Take this example: you wake up with a tweaked neck from sleeping wrong (we’ve all been there). It’s stiff, painful, and throws off your whole morning. You’re running late to work, your neck still hurts, and every little inconvenience adds to your frustration. By mid-day, everything feels more overwhelming.
When you have low distress tolerance, these compounding stressors feel unbearable—you might cancel plans, snap at your partner, or reach for unhealthy habits to cope. But when you build distress tolerance, you start to gain confidence in your ability to handle these moments without falling apart.
How Movement Helps
Movement, especially forms like Pilates or yoga, encourages mindful discomfort. You’re invited to notice what feels hard, breathe through it, and challenge yourself gently and safely.
That moment of “this is hard, but I can do it” teaches your brain and body that discomfort isn’t danger. It helps you unlearn the pattern of needing to escape discomfort immediately. Instead, you learn that you can move through it—and come out stronger.
Pushing your physical limits (in a safe, compassionate way) often mirrors the emotional work we do in therapy. In both cases, we’re learning to stay present with discomfort, rather than avoid it. When you do that successfully, you start to feel more capable and grounded, even in emotionally charged situations.
Try this: Think of a time you made it through something difficult. What strengths did you use? How did you support yourself?
That same inner strength is what you're building when you stick with a tough workout, try something new, or take a few extra breaths before reacting. These small moments build mastery, and mastery builds self-esteem.
Building Distress Tolerance Outside the Studio
You can grow this skill outside of movement, too:
Delay impulsive actions: Take a few breaths before hitting snooze again, reacting to a frustrating message, or reaching for a comfort snack.
Notice your self-talk: Are you telling yourself you can’t handle something, or are you offering encouragement? What you say to yourself shapes your experience.
Start small: Distress tolerance isn’t built overnight. Gentle movement and tiny mindset shifts, practiced consistently, are more effective than pushing to extremes.
Every time you intentionally tolerate discomfort, whether it's physical, emotional, or mental, you’re training your brain to trust that you're safe, capable, and strong enough to handle it.
Movement Builds Connection and Reduces Isolation
Anxiety and low self-worth often lead to isolation.
When you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or burnt out, the last thing you often want to do is be around people. You might cancel plans, avoid reaching out, or convince yourself you’ll be a burden if you share what you’re going through. That urge to withdraw is common and understandable, but over time, it can make you feel even more alone and disconnected.
And disconnection only reinforces the beliefs that anxiety and low self-esteem lead us to believe: “You’re not enough,” or “Nobody gets you.”
Research and experience shows us that strong social connections are one of the biggest protective factors against anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. Feeling seen, heard, and supported doesn’t erase our struggles, but it makes them easier to carry.
Movement as a Bridge to Connection
One of the underrated benefits of movement is how it creates opportunities for low-pressure, meaningful connection.
Whether you’re attending a Pilates class, joining a walking group, or just showing up consistently in a shared space, you’re engaging in something that naturally fosters community. You don’t have to pour your heart out to build connection. Sometimes, just being in the same room with people who are focused on a shared goal—wellness, growth, or simply feeling better—is enough to remind you that you’re not alone.
Small moments add up:
A smile from someone across the mat.
A quick chat before class.
Feeling a sense of progress alongside others.
These interactions may seem minor, but they can regulate your nervous system, improve your mood, and gently challenge the isolation that anxiety can create.
Taking Connection Beyond the Studio
The confidence and comfort you feel through shared movement can be the spark that encourages you to reach out in other areas of your life. You might feel more open to texting a friend, saying yes to a coffee date, or simply staying after class to chat with someone new.
Connection is healing, and movement can be one of the ways we gently step back into it, especially when we’re feeling unmotivated, overwhelmed, or not “good enough.”
Moving Your Body Supports Your Mind
Movement isn’t just physical, it’s deeply mental and emotional too.
Let’s recap:
Movement regulates your nervous system through intentional breath and presence.
Movement builds distress tolerance and resilience, helping you face discomfort with more confidence and less fear.
Movement fosters connection, reducing isolation and increasing a sense of belonging.
Of course, movement alone isn’t a cure-all. Therapy, medication, and other supports may still be important parts of your mental health journey. But adding mindful movement to your life can be one of the most empowering, accessible tools for supporting emotional well-being.
You don’t need to do intense workouts or be a “fitness person” to benefit from movement. What matters most is intention, choosing to move in ways that feel grounding, supportive, and connected to your body.
If you're navigating anxiety, low self-worth, or challenges in your relationships, you don’t have to do it alone. I help people build emotional resilience, increase self-esteem, and create healthy, fulfilling relationships. Reach out with questions or to start your journey toward feeling more grounded, confident, and connected.