Exercise and Mental Health
Being active is not only good for our physical health, but studies show it can also have positive impacts on our mental health. Exercising can improve our self esteem, help us to set goals and challenges; provide opportunities for social interaction, give us routine and structure, and also cause chemical changes in our brains that can positively influence our mood. Regular exercise can also relieve stress, improve memory and improve sleep. We don’t have to spend every spare moment in the gym to benefit, exercising moderately has an impact too.
When we are already feeling down, though, it can feel impossible to contemplate going for a run, walk or joining a class. This can be even if we feel pretty sure that if we did, we might feel a little better, or from past experience, we know that when we did, things felt a little “less worse” after.
When we have a hard time exercising, in spite of the media and people we know evangelising the benefits, it can end up feeling like another way to “fail”, reinforcing patterns of critical self-talk.
This pattern can be a vicious circle. We feel bad, we beat ourselves up, we feel worse, and then it’s even harder to start or try anything new or different.
So how can we break out of this pattern? There is no one size fits all solution, but some things to consider are:
- Be realistic
We can feel a lot of pressure to set big goals and progress ever faster. But it might not work out that way. It takes time to build a habit, and it might take a while to find the thing we enjoy. Think realistically about what you may be able to do. Make your plan fit your own needs and abilities rather than setting goals that you’re not likely to meet. There is no need to push yourself to your limits or set a schedule that is too intense.
- Start small and be kind to yourself.
Signing up to a gym membership or setting a goal might be the perfect option for some people. For others, it might be making small choices like taking the stairs today rather than the escalator. Small actions can have an impact too. Try different things and see what works for you.
- Have Compassion and Know you can Always Start Again
Life happens, you might get busy or sick, or just not feel like it one day, so it might not be possible to stick to the routine you had planned. Try to be kind to yourself if you miss a day, or a week, and not to see it as a failure. You can always start again. Trying anything new, or restarting something after a break, takes energy. Some days you might not have the energy to exercise and that’s okay.
- Try different things and find something you enjoy
There is no one way to exercise and finding something that is pleasurable, or at least tolerable, means you are more likely to stick with it. Hate the thought of the gym? Maybe find exercise you can do outside, online or at home. Bored by the idea of swimming laps? Find something you can do with others, whether that be a class, team sport, or something like Parkrun. Or find a way to exercise where you can multitask, like listening to an audiobook, podcast or music to help the time sail by. If finding an hour or two to exercise in one stretch feels impossible, try to add short bursts of movement into your day – maybe 5 minutes of movement for every 55 minutes at the computer. Whatever you do, it has to fit into your life to be consistently achievable. Try not to think of exercise as merely another “should”
- Think about your barriers to exercise
Think about the things that get in your way and try to remove them or reduce them as much as possible. Think about the timing – if you’re too tired after work, can you make space for a quick walk at lunchtime? Pack your kit the night before so you can just pick it up and go in the morning. Find an accountability buddy – sometimes knowing there is someone expecting you at the yoga class or waiting for you at the gym helps you get over that hurdle to get there in the first place. Not sure what you’re doing? If you can afford it, take a few sessions with a trainer or find a routine online so you feel more comfortable and not out of your depth.
A caveat about exercise and wellbeing
Exercise is generally viewed by society as a positive choice and can be a great coping mechanism. However, situations like over exercising and exercise addiction can result in exercise having a negative effect on our wellbeing. Feeling that we have to exercise, even when we are sick, tired, injured, or there are other things we need to be doing, may mean that things have spilled over from exercise being a healthy choice into something we need to be more careful with. If you feel worried about exercising, for any reason, then it could be an idea to examine these feelings and where they might be coming from, either by yourself, with friends or family, or with a professional. Read more about over exercising and exercise addiction here.