The third way to alleviate depression is through exercise. When many people think of exercise, they get images in their minds of gyms full of impressively fit people who can bench press small cars, and look sexy while they’re at it. Many people also have memories of getting gym memberships as a New Year’s resolution, and then they stopped going in February. It’s really no wonder why a lot of people find gyms to be intimidating or associated with feelings of failure and shame.
The thing about exercise is that it doesn’t have to fit a mold or even involve a gym. Don’t get me wrong, gyms are a good choice for a lot of people. They are full of expensive weight training and exercise equipment that the average person may not be able to afford. They often have exercise classes that are a fun way of working out with a group. They often have personal trainers that are knowledgeable and able to help a person on their fitness journey. They might even have an indoor pool. Gyms are great for many people, but they certainly aren’t for everyone.
Exercise increases our breathing and speeds up our heartbeat, which supplies more oxygen to our brains. Exercise is shown to improve sleep and decrease anxiety. Exercise also decreases depression symptoms. In fact, let's go back to the very beginning of this blog series. Remember when I said that I often hear people with depression tell me that they just don’t feel like doing anything? Over time, exercise has a positive effect on levels of dopamine and serotonin–important neurotransmitters in the brain that cause us to feel good and feel motivated. Exercise helps people with ADHD as well, and exercise has been linked with slowing cognitive decline with age. People who exercise are at a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s. Clearly, exercise is great for our brains.
Still, exercise is, for some, an intimidating word, so let's revamp the idea of exercise and just emphasize movement. Human bodies aren’t meant to sit all day. We are meant to move. I once read an article in a running magazine that said that the benefits of running vs. walking were virtually the same. The article said that the runner has a slight advantage in health benefits, but it isn’t much. What is the point of this? The important thing is just to move, not necessarily that you move fast.
What is the best form of exercise? That is like asking what is the best pizza topping. It depends on the person (though I maintain that pineapple has no business on a pizza). The best type of exercise is the one that you enjoy and are most likely to stick with. That could be weight training with free weights or machines, running, biking, swimming, zumba, yoga, cross fit, walking/hiking, body weight exercises, martial arts, or any of the other types of exercise that I’ve forgotten.
Maybe you don’t want to pay for a gym membership. That’s fine. Running, walking, and bike riding are free, so are pushups, pullups, wall sits, and burpees (we all hate burpees). There are a ton of free resources online, like yoga resources on YouTube–there is a channel called Yoga with Adriene that is especially good. Care should be taken when picking out online resources for exercise, and it is usually recommended that you check with your doctor before starting a specific workout regime.
Whatever exercise or combination of exercises that you pick, there will come a day that you don’t feel motivated to work out. This is normal, but the important thing is to do it anyway. Motivation isn’t an external force that taps us on the shoulder and reminds us to get out there and get to work. Before we can build motivation, we must build our discipline. The motivation to continue will show up once you have momentum. Make a commitment to yourself and your mental health and stick with it. Your mood and feelings will thank you.
As stated in the beginning, depression is a very serious mental health disorder. It isn’t simply feeling down or sad. It is complicated, and for some, it is brutal. True help with depression often requires professional assistance through medications and/or counseling, and there is no shame in asking for this help. Making an effort to improve sleep, diet, and exercise are key efforts that you can make to help yourself as well.