Exercise and depression

[Starfire]

I bribe myself! Our complex has a small gym. Can't handle large gym. Also like to read. I find a good book...usually on Audible. Only read(listen) on bike or treadmill. Want to know what happens in the story next...got to go to gym to listen. Figured out other bribes to. If I want to hole up for the night, avoid people, turn off phone, give myself permission to do so after a walk.

 

[Sideways]

I am quite sure that I’m not the only perspn who goes to sleep at night wearing my walk/run gear for the next morning. Most mornings that’s the only way it’s gonna happen.

That and knowing, indisputably, that some regular exercise is critical for my mood. I got a gym membership more than a decade before I finally started therapy in order to keep my depression at bay. When I stop completely? Everything gets harder. I know it, because I’ve lived it, over and over.

I set my goal reeeeally low. A 30 minute walk, 3 times a week. But the way I sell that to depressed-me is: “A 15 minute walk, then turn around and go home.” Sometimes it’s even less. And I’m mostly in physically good condition (since I’ve spent so many years running the depression out of my system!).

My baseline is 2 x 15 minute ambles which my dog needs, and which I can do in my jimjams. For a 30 minute walk, I go to bed in walking gear, and I allow myself to decide “nup, not doing this” for the first 30 minutes after I wake up.

That’s pretty specific. But that’s built around what I know about me. I need to do it first thing in the morning or it won’t happen, I need to make it easy to beat my goal every week, I need to allow a small interlude for my brain to run it’s usual gauntlet of all the reasons why NOT today, before I come back with that “Thanks brain, very predictable. But I can’t afford to not exercise today.” You’re the expert on you - use all that you know about you, your routines, your self-talk, what’s too hard/easy, what you value most - and tailor a plan that accommodates & even utilises your specifics so that it works. I need to see ticks appear in my daily diary (or not appear, keeping me accountable), so I make sure I do that. You know you - use that information.

Remember that for mental health? You don’t need a lot of exercise for it to start being helpful. It doesn’t need to be hard. It doesn’t need to be for a long time.

So make it as easy as possible. Finding something you enjoy is great for long term, but if you get anhedonia with depression? You’ll be disappointed at the results for a while. Easy means goals that you can achieve (and record that somewhere, that’s important) when your system isn’t capable of good-feeling hormones, motivation or pleasure. They’re all longer-term goals that you’ll get to enjoy in due course.

 

[pianogirl]

I am currently having a hard time with exercising right now. I think it's because of the holidays and especially since it's wintertime and less light. I am a triathlete and am coming off of a shoulder injury, and getting myself out to run or on the bike (even on the indoor trainer) is a chore, if I do them at all. I have, however, done many short swims as I regain my shoulder mobility back. Lately, swimming is my sport of choice (and a consistently favorite one).

I do sign up for races so I can follow a training plan and fill up my calendar. The last few years I have picked two big time-commitment races like a marathon and a half-iron-distance tri, or two marathons a year as "A" races and fill out the rest of the year with "B" and "C" races. I have learned to be mindful of overtraining and burnout, though. The training plans help with making a schedule so that you have a commitment and a time slot for yourself.

At the very least, I used to just commit to doing a 5K or 10K race a month and follow shorter-distance run training plans to get me going.

Hope this helps.

~ pianogirl

 

[Rani G2]

I go to the Gym 2x week, which is probably not enough. Unfortunately, I Dont see a huge difference when it comes to my Depression.

 

[blackemerald1]

At the very least, I used to just commit to doing a 5K or 10K race a month and follow shorter-distance run training plans to get me going.

Does it lift your depression etc?

 

[Mach123]

I was able to use it very successfully for anxiety and depression. I stopped about six months ago because we moved. I need it now for fitness, to start again, but I don't need it for anxiety or depression I improved that much. (Meaning I'm not having such screaming anxiety I have to go jog five miles, that's how I was) I liked doing it, I liked the release so it was easy i don't have to struggle to do it. There are people at the gym though and I fell victim to talking, which I always do, and there other problems at my gym. I'd like to switch gyms. I don't like being anywhere too long. People get ideas about you just through association.

So like most things it'd be fine if I could do it alone. It really worked for me though, I can't stress that enough.