Depressed? I mean with a clinical diagnosis, not the namby-pamby “I broke a fingernail” depressed. Good News! Exercise will help you the most. Some people see relief from depression after their first exercise session. Lift heavier things, sweat a little more than the the guy next to you who’s diagnosed with anxiety…that will do you the most good. Keep at it, a consistent program is best.
Diagnosed with high anxiety? Good news: Exercise will help you more than somebody with a low level. It’s a good idea to start going to the gym or engaging in some program now, so you can to notice the difference by the end of two to three months. Get aerobic, breathe harder, break out that dusty bike, sweat!
Dr David Landers is an expert on this subject, and his white paper pulls together evidence since 1905 that indicates exercise can improve our mental health.
The positive effects of exercise last for hours, and by combining exercise with techniques like my earlier post on “Breathing”, and you just might feel better. Isn’t it worth a shot? Personally, I think this is true whether someone is diagnosed with mental health problems or not.
While the effect of regular exercise on these conditions varies, and you’ll see all sorts of disclaimers by scientific types that it may or may not help, and that more research is needed, the evidence I’ve seen is enough to suggest trying a program and see if you feel better. If you don’t, oh, well, the only benefit may be the delay of that impending heart attack.
We all have friends or acquaintances who tendency to get a little down…or worse.
Two friends of mine, one diagnosed as bi-polar with a long history of partial day-treatment and many different medications, the other an out of work Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning technician, both say they feel better when they are exercising regularly. I have many friends, some with mental health and addictions diagnoses, some without, all of them who go to the gym feel better about themselves. Nobody I know feels worse after a workout unless they’re just plain sick and need to go to bed.
It doesn’t seem to matter whether we’re diagnosed with a mental illness or not, regular exercise helps improve our sense of well-being. In addition to the physical benefits of burning the extra calories from the pasta and too much Mexican food over the weekend, exercise helps our attitude. I know I feel better when I’ve finished my workout.
I’ve used all the excuses. I don’t have time. Something comes up. Still, I somehow work in visits to the gym four to five times a week, and as long as I’m there and dressed for it, I feel funny if I don’t lift something heavy or go stand on treadmill or elliptical machine.
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