"A new randomized controlled clinical trial published in Frontiers in Psychiatry ( Muotri et al., 2026) suggests that brief intermittent intense exercise (BIE)-a close "cousin" to high-intensity interval training ( HIIT)-can significantly reduce the severity of panic disorder (PD). Over 12 weeks, repeated exposure to BIE in the form of 30-second sprints helped people with panic disorder respond more calmly to their nervous system's hyperactive alarm signals."
"For many people with panic disorder, the core problem isn't fear itself, but the "fear of fear." Interoceptive exposure (IE) is a cognitive-behavioral therapy technique designed to break this cycle by repeatedly exposing patients to the physical sensations they dread, such as dizziness or a pounding heart, in a safe setting. Traditionally, IE relies on office-based exercises like voluntary hyperventilation or spinning in a chair. While effective, these methods can feel artificial."
Short bursts of intense cardio recreate panic-like sensations such as rapid heartbeat, breathlessness, and sweating so patients learn those cues are not always dangerous. Interoceptive exposure (IE) targets the "fear of fear" by repeatedly triggering feared bodily sensations in safe conditions. Traditional IE uses exercises like hyperventilation or spinning, which can feel artificial; 30-second sprints provide a more functional, real-world exposure while delivering cardiovascular benefits. A randomized controlled trial enrolled 72 sedentary adults with panic disorder not taking psychiatric medication and used 12 weeks of repeated BIE sprints to reduce panic severity and improve tolerance of alarm signals.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]