Depression-Mood and Motivation
When someone thinks about depression, they generally associate it with sadness. This is just one of the characteristics (symptoms) a depressed person may express. There are, however, many potential symptoms that are associated with depression.
Additional symptoms may include:
• Lack of focus
• Feeling that they are a failure
• Difficulty sleeping
• No interest in activities
• Isolation
• Hopelessness
Depression not only affects mood but motivation as well. Even the simplest of tasks take on a whole new meaning. What was once a no brainer turns into a struggle. Even the most basic routines become challenging. For example, showering every day. What should be a simple task now takes on a whole new meaning. The depressed may view this as a challenging activity where the effort to perform it is just not worth it. The motivation is just not there.
This lack of motivation can impact other seemingly basic tasks. Exercise for example. Granted, this requires more of an effort than showering. It is one of the hardest things for a depressed person to do. Let’s face it, exercise is challenging for most people. To the depressed it is magnified. Even though the benefits are numerous. It is just too great an activity.
Benefits of Exercise for Depression
What are the benefits of exercising and how can they help lessen the impact of depression? First, let’s look at some of the potential benefits:
• Takes your mind off depression
• Aid in sleep patterns
• Sense of Accomplishment
• Feel Better physically and emotionally
• Increased Focus
First and foremost, you must WANT it (exercise). It needs to be the priority. If it isn’t, you won’t be able to be consistent with an exercise program, if you start at all. Let’s look at some of the benefits of exercise in more detail.
Increased Focus
A regular exercise routine will reduce the symptoms of depression by releasing endorphins which are chemicals in the brain. These endorphins will increase feelings of well-being and will allow the mind to focus on things other than depression and lesson feelings of anxiety and stress.
Confidence Builder
Exercise will not only help with your mental state, it may also increase your confidence. Completing an exercise session shows you that you can accomplish something from beginning to end. Since the inability to complete tasks is a symptom of depression, a routine of exercise will allow for confidence to grow.
Socialization
If you’re feeling isolated, exercise and belonging to a gym will get you out of the house (providing you don’t have a home gym). If you do and you’re using it instead of traveling to a gym, the social skills aspect of exercise is being lost.
Being around people is paramount to changing the severity of depression. Talking with people is even better. Even if it’s just saying ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’ to the people at the check-in desk. Baby steps. As for a gym, Planet Fitness is a good choice, offering cardio equipment, free weights, weight machines and a great price. It is geared to the average person and not serious weightlifters.
Sleep Cycle
This shouldn’t be a shocker to anyone. Physical exercise does the body good and may help if you have disrupted sleep cycles.
Physical exercise increases the production of melatonin which is a hormone that requlates sleep and wake cycles. It reduces stress which impacts the ability to fall and stay asleep.
According to SleepFoundation.org, Staff Writer Rob Newsom and Psychiatrist Alex Dimitriu found that ‘Research indicates those who engage in light, moderate, or vigorous exercise reported very good or fairly good sleep quality. Additionally, regular exercise has shown to significantly decrease symptoms of depression, making it an excellent choice to promote sleep health and mental health.’
Sense of Accomplishment
This can be attributed to any form of exercise. Pick a duration you want to be active and hit that time. 5 minutes. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. You get the idea. This can be for any activity and performing it with a loved one will assist you in your task’s completion by serving as a motivator.
Where/How to Begin an Exercise Routine
Barriers
I don’t have the energy. I’ll be around people. It’s work. It’s easier to sit on the couch and watch the television.
You know exercise is important, but the last thing you want to do is exercise. Your depression has already taken hold of you and anything you once enjoyed now seems like a chore and you hate chores. You’re too busy focused on the depression. Tired and alone. Do you want it? You know you should. Let’s do this.
Getting Active
Start with one activity. Maybe it’s walking, jogging or hitting the gym. Take it slow and find a workout buddy. You’re more likely to stay the course if you are interacting with someone who is there to support you.
If you find going to the gym is too challenging, you’ll need to break it down. It may be at the point where you are just too anxious to hit the gym. There’s nothing wrong with that, just keep reminding yourself that ‘you want this.’
Let’s say you are considering the gym. You may find that a first step will be to drive to the gym and stay in your car. Work your way up to entering the gym. Just going is a big step. If this is you, give yourself a pat on the back for making the effort and succeeding in your goal (driving to the gym). Work your way up to entering the gym.
Exercise Goals
Set achievable goals by starting slow. For example, let’s say walking for 15 minutes, 3 days a week. Whatever you are most comfortable with and build from there. This can be for distance, walking around the block or walking down the street and then coming back to your starting position. The key is movement and to take your mind off depression. Perhaps you’ll come up with a mantra that you’ll repeat to yourself during your walk such as ‘I want to do this. I need to do this. I can do this.’
If going to the gym is what you’ve decided to do, find a workout buddy from your support network and again shoot for a 15-minute goal a few days a week. It is imperative that you start slow and work your way up to more challenging sessions. Going too fast may lead to injury. The last thing you want when trying to get into a workout routine is to get hurt. Any momentum you had gained would be lost.
Depression Exercise Story
After a failed businesses attempt, I found myself getting in shape and losing 25lbs when going through a fitness trainer program. This was accomplished by changing my diet to high protein/low carbohydrate and adding strength training and cardio to the mix. It sounds like a lot, but I eased into it.
The first thing I did was purchase a workout planner to track my activities. I initially incorporated this into my weightlifting routine and once this was a habit, I started tracking the foods and their calories, fats and proteins. Basically, I ate chicken and vegetables. Not the most diverse diet, but it did the trick. I also continued to track my strength training and incorporated treadmill workouts into my routine.
For strength training, I used dumbbells with a comfortable weight. My goal wasn’t to bulk up, just get in shape. I initially lifted a few days a week and gradually increased the number of exercises, weights and days of activity.
My depression symptoms had never been better. So good in fact that I went off my meds. I felt great and thought my depression was under control.
Until it wasn’t.
One day anger overtook me, and I blew up. Like crazy angry. I’ll spare you the details but back to the doctor I went. Unfortunately, my doctor was between practices so I had to find someone else who could handle the meds. Once I found one, we spent the better part of a year trying to find a combination of meds that helped. During this time, I continued with talk therapy and learned that I had ADHD. I’m like seriously?
The short of it is exercise can definitely help manage depression symptoms, but it is not a cure all. You still need to be under doctor(s) care no matter how you feel. When you and the doctor decide to change your treatment plan it should be a decision that you both make and you must be monitored closely.
Please Note – Before starting any exercise program please consult with your physician first.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided above is for informational purposes ONLY and should NOT be taken as medical advice.