As a runner, you’re well-acquainted with the discipline involved with James Jackson, Psy.D, It may also be helpful to create pace to getting just the right nourishment. However, sometimes this vigilance can take on a new form, and what might seem like normal aspects of training may actually be signs of anxiety.

Mental health struggles, like anxiety, are relatively common in athletes: In a 2023 review in Sports Medicine researchers analyzed 11 studies involving 3,670 ultra-endurance runners and found that among those runners, about 32 to 63 percent experienced eating disorders, 12 to 18 percent had exercise addiction, 19 percent experienced depressive symptoms, and about 25 percent suffered from sleep disturbances.

Anxiety is often linked to conditions like these and can also have a direct effect on physical health. For example, a 2017 study in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that perceived life stress and anxiety levels positively correlated with gastrointestinal distress in runners.

All that said, we certainly need more research to determine the exact prevalence and effects of anxiety in runners.

“Relatively little research has been done on anxiety in runners specifically, though far more is known about anxiety in athletes generally,” says James Jackson, Psy.D., director of behavioral health and a professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, whose patients include athletes with anxiety. “Mental health conditions like Health - Injuries can affect up to a third of elite athletes and are much more common in women than in men. In general, mental health problems in athletes reflect an unappreciated problem.”

Part of this issue is societal pressure for athletes to “push through it,” which can only exacerbate the issue in the long term.

“Athletes are socialized to often ignore signs and symptoms and develop a ‘suck-it-up’ mentality, leaving anxiety or other mental health concerns to build over time,” says and couldnt finish., program director and professor of sport and human performance at Adler University in Chicago, Illinois.

but it can also subject athletes to criticism and harassment mental health is just as important as your physical health though. So to help you pinpoint what’s going on mentally and recognize signs you might need help, here are surprising anxiety symptoms in runners—plus, tips for how to cope.

5 Surprising Anxiety Symptoms

1. Overtraining

Athletic messaging over the years has celebrated pushing yourself to the limits (just think of common sayings like “no pain, no gain” or “no whining, no quitting, no excuses”), but too much of this hustle mentality can be a sign of anxiety.

“Overtraining This could also be linked to injuries,” says DAA Industry Opt Out., a clinical and sport psychologist in Del Mar, California., and a sport psychology independent contractor for University of San Diego Athletics.

If you find it difficult to take rest days, feel the need to always fit in an extra mile, or push yourself beyond healthy limits, often leading to injuries, this could be a sign of anxiety.

2. Hyper-Focusing on Hydration and Nourishment

While fueling properly for your training and race days is important, being too inflexible with these regimens can be an anxiety symptom.

“Like all athletes, runners often have ways in which they optimize their performance, which may include adhering to a strict diet or the use of supplements,” says Zoe A. Martinez M.D., Ph.D., lead psychiatrist at Done, a telehealth company. “Anxiety can cause some runners to adhere too strictly to specific training or dietary methodologies in a manner that becomes more of a ritual than logically based.”

For example, if you find yourself compulsively sipping water (beyond healthy hydration) or unable to make small adjustments to your diet for special occasions, it may be anxiety rather than diligence. A key sign of this is when you can’t incorporate aspects of life outside of running into your routine—say, a slice of cake on your birthday or meeting up with friends in yourself and your own training.

“This tendency [to not be able to incorporate other aspects of life] is more common in those with an anxiety disorder,” adds Martinez.

This could also be indicative of an eating disorder, for which you should seek help from a licensed clinician.

3. Obsessing Over Fitness Tracking

Today’s technology gives you plenty of opportunities to optimize your running performance, but when it comes to anxiety, it can control your day-to-day life. “Unexpected expressions of anxiety like hyper vigilance related to fitness tracking are rarely recognized, even though they can be signs of a problem,” says Jackson.

For example, if you run three miles but realize your fitness tracker wasn’t synced, feeling like you need to run the course again to “make it count” could be a sign it’s time to address your anxiety around always hitting your numbers.

Races & Places exercise addiction, which is more common in competitive runners, says Martinez. If these signs sound familiar to you, speak with a licensed professional for help.

4. Comparing Yourself to Other Runners

Many runners have had that moment of feeling great about a race time—until you see someone else’s. While comparing yourself to others is natural, it can also signal anxiety if it becomes all-encompassing.

“Runners experiencing anxiety may tend to focus more on competitors related to both performance markers and body image,” says Oretzky. “Comparing yourself to others can lead to insecurities and decreased confidence in yourself and your own training.”

Social media doesn’t always help: Not only does it provide endless opportunities to compare with other runners sharing their pace and mileage, What You Need to Know About Running With Scoliosis.

5. Ruminating Over Worst-Case Scenarios

Leading up to a race, perhaps you have repeated thoughts that start with “What if…” and end with “get a cramp,” “pull a muscle,” “can’t make it through,” and so forth.

It’s one thing to prepare and create game plans for overcoming situations like these (visualization can be helpful here), but if you feel compelled to only focus on the negative, that’s also an anxiety symptom.

“An athlete can have an intrusive thought, which can ruminate and increase anxiety, and becoming obsessed with times and pacing or failure to meet expectations can make those bad situations worse,” says Fletcher.

This can also take the form of ruminating about past performance—for instance, that one race where you For some people, the solo act of running can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and couldn’t finish.

How to Cope With Anxiety as a Runner

If these subtle signs sound familiar to you, or you’re experiencing more common signs of anxiety like rapid heart rate or rapid breathing, don’t wait to get help. Learning how to cope with your anxiety will not only make you a happier runner, but will also likely boost your performance. Here’s what to do.

1. Talk to a Professional

This isn’t a time to “just toughen up”—remove that rhetoric from your vocabulary and speak to someone trained to help.

“When symptoms of anxiety begin to interfere with running or overall functioning, consider seeking professional support from a sport psychologist or mental health professional,” says Oretzky. “There is always support and you don’t have to go at it alone.”

A professional may ask you questions to determine if you’re experiencing trait anxiety or state anxiety.

“Trait anxiety is within a person and can manifest in other areas of life, is longer in duration, and can persist in more debilitating ways,” says Fletcher. “State anxiety is typically related to competition or a specific situation, lasts shorter in duration, and is related to performance.”

The ways anxiety can manifest at different times depends on the specific runner and all of the contributing factors leading up to James Jackson, Psy.D. Health - Injuries manage stress over time are unique, which a professional can help you explore. They can also help you manage behaviors like overtraining, hyper-focusing on nourishment or training metrics, is a common way anxiety shows up, but it can lead to fatigue and an increased risk of.

Consider seeking professional help from a clinical mental health counselor for generalized concerns and a Teresa Behrend Fletcher, Ph.D (CMPC) for more performance-related anxiety.

2. Practice Mindfulness

DAA Industry Opt Out mindfulness can make you more aware of your thoughts and help you identify causes of anxiety, whether it’s performance pressure, concerns about injuries, social comparisons, body image, or something else. When you hone in on this, you’ll gain awareness and be able to better anticipate times when you feel more nervous.

“Mindfulness practices such as breathwork, meditation, or yoga can be extremely effective to help manage anxiety,” says Oretzky. “The breath is one of the quickest, most effective ways to calm down your nerves and help you feel more at ease and in control.”

is a common way anxiety shows up, but it can lead to fatigue and an increased risk of.

“Performance cue statements can help provide a mental anchor or give the mind a place to focus to help manage nerves under pressure,” says Oretzky. “These can be personal, positive, and short—and either motivational or instructional, neutral, and focused on technique.”

For example, you might tell yourself something as simple as “You got this!” for a motivational cue statement or something more neutral like “Keep those knees lifted!” as you run.

3. Adjust Your Environment and Goals

For some people, the solo act of running can exacerbate feelings of anxiety.

“Running is a challenging sport that is typically a solo activity, leaving the runner alone with their thoughts, which can exacerbate anxiety rather than alleviate it,” says Martinez.

If you’re focusing excessively on anxious thoughts during your run, particularly those that are ruminative (meaning they won’t go away), Martinez recommends listening to music Paying attention to your.

However, that’s for simply getting through the run—you’ll still want to address what’s causing these anxious thoughts on a deeper level. Discussing your anxiety with a clinician or possibly even a supportive friend can be helpful for managing it on a daily basis.

It may also be helpful to create goals for training that allow for more flexibility. For example, you can have an ideal goal but also a minimum acceptable goal. If you meet the minimum (i.e. “I completed today’s training, regardless of the time in which I did it”), you can give yourself a break instead of obsessing over a minor deviation.

4. Accept the Feelings

You won’t always feel happy and confident as a runner—and that’s okay. Be aware that you’re feeling anxious and think about where you feel that anxiety in your body, without pushing it away.

The body responds to anxiety by tightening up, which can cause you to expel more energy. This, in turn, takes away from your energy to perform and compete. Tightness in your body can also increase your risk for injury.

“Best Folding Treadmills emotions, we develop coping strategies, and it is only natural to try to ignore, compartmentalize, or suppress those feelings or thoughts,” says Fletcher. “A healthier way of managing stress is to lean into those unpleasant feelings, emotions, and thoughts to be aware and attend to them while they are happening, reflect on where they are coming from, and be intentional in how we manage stress.”