Can exercise really cure your depression or anxiety?
You’re exhausted. Your mood is all over the place - someday getting out of bed is all you can do, others you’re wired and nervous, maybe even a little shaky.
You’ve tried exercising before and never been able to stick with anything.
So duh, exercise is important - you know that.
But right now it feels like the LAST thing you want to do.
I get it.
I used to hate exercising and really moving my body at all with a passion.
Maybe it was because the story I’d told myself since I was little was that I wasn’t athletic, that I wasn’t good at it.
Maybe it was because all the sugar, processed foods, alcohol, and energy drinks I was binging on made it real hard for my body to want to move.
Every time I decided to try something new - vowed to run and bought new shoes, signed up for a class, or bought a DVD I know I was going to fail. I’d failed so many times before.
It didn’t help that on days when my depression and anxiety were strong, sitting on the couch with a bowl of cookie dough obviously sounded like a much better life choice.
So believe me when I say that I get it.
But today personally and in my work with clients I believe that exercise is a critical part of our healing journey.
Exercise is seriously a wonder drug.
It improves your health on all levels, not just being fitter and stronger.
Regular exercise improves your heart health, brain health, muscle and bone health, diabetes, and arthritis.
It also reduces stress, increases your energy, and improves your sleep.
Exercise has also shown to be as effective if not more at treating depression and anxiety than standard antidepressants.
Like I said, wonder drug.
One study conducted at Duke University found that a brisk 30 minute walk or jog 3 times/week to be just as effective as antidepressants at reducing depression.
A separate study found that when comparing medication, exercise, and a combination of exercise and medication participants in all groups improved after 12 weeks. HOWEVER, only those participants in the exercise group maintained improvements 10 months after the study had ended.
Similar results have been found for anxiety.
This evidence tells us that exercise is DEFINITELY a powerful way to heal and manage our depression and anxiety not to mention that it boosts our confidence and self-esteem and helps us to be more social!
OK, OK, I know you’re convinced.
Exercise is awesome.
But knowing that doesn’t make it any easier so below are my top 10 tips to ACTUALLY start exercising.
1. Start by finding something you actually LIKE.
It doesn’t matter if CrossFit, cycling, kickboxing or deep sea diving were the best forms of exercise. If you don’t like it, you’re not going to want to continue doing it. Keep in mind that any new form of exercise can be challenging at first. Feeling out of breath or slow and weak AF will improve with time so try not to let that deter you. But if you think running is the worst punishment ever invented - try something else!
2. Start SMALL, like REALLY small.
From the research, we know that 20-30 minutes 3 times a week is a good amount to work up to. That doesn’t mean you have to start there right away. Especially when you’re in a funk, even 20 minutes seems impossible. So break it down. Start by telling yourself that you’re going for a 1-minute walk or you’re going to do 1 jumping jack. Sound too easy? That’s the point. Set yourself up for success. If all you do is that 1 minute - awesome! Tomorrow can you do two? You'll be surprised at how manageable it makes it and how likely you are to push yourself just a little bit further.
3. Don’t make it something you have to do.
Exercise isn’t a punishment and it definitely isn’t something that you HAVE to do. If you catch yourself saying ‘I should exercise,’ reframe it. You don’t have to do anything. If you really wanted to, you could exercise. It would make you feel strong, confident, and energetic. It will pump you up and get you excited. Choose what feels good.
4. Stop counting your ‘failures.’
So you set out to run after work but when you came you were exhausted and didn’t. You didn't fail! You just found a new opportunity to analyze what does and doesn’t work for you. What can you learn from this experience? What got in your way? Was it because you were hangry and needed a snack? Did you get enough sleep the right before? Figure out what got in your way and develop a plan to account for it next time. No failure, just collecting data to see how you can improve.
5. Be kind to yourself.
Sometimes easier said than done. Challenge yourself to be mindful and aware of your self-talk. If the whole time you’re telling yourself, ‘This sucks, why am I even doing this? I can’t do this. I’m so out of shape,’ guess how your new workout is going to go? Not so hot. Instead, consciously make the choice to turn the self-talk around. Praise yourself like you would a little kid. ‘Man I’m awesome. Ou this is tough, I’m getting stronger. I’m so proud of myself. I can do this. I can do 1 more. I’m taking care of myself. I deserve to feel good.’ Try it out - I promise the difference with blow your mind.
You may not be feeling it right now.
But exercise truly could be one of the most powerful healing tools in your depression and anxiety journey.
You don’t have to start out hard, fast or in any way that doesn’t feel good.
Find something you enjoy (or at least tolerate), go at your own pace, do with the intention of feeling good, and be kind to yourself and the progress you’re making.
Love,
Julia
Recipe: Exercise Recovery Coconut Water Refresher
Serves 2
1 cup coconut water
2 cups watermelon
½ tsp lime juice
1 dash salt
1 cup ice
2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
Instructions
Blend the first four ingredients until well mixed. Add ice and pulse until ice is crushed.
Pour into glasses or water bottle and add chia seeds. Shake/stir before drinking.
Serve & enjoy!
Tip: The chia seeds add extra fiber, protein, and omega-3s.
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFBBjynBpSw&t=3s
https://authoritynutrition.com/10-benefits-of-exercise/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/healthy-movement
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-physical-activity
https://journals.humankinetics.com/doi/abs/10.1123/jsep.20.4.339
Love this Julia! Especially the reframe of how exercise isn’t something you “have to” do. It’s something we GET to do bc our bodies are healthy and resilient and strong. Anyone who’s had an injury or illness knows the feeling of not even being able to exercise. Thanks for sharing these amazing tips!