How To Start Exercising When You Have a Mental Health Condition

Strategies to Help You Get Started When You Don’t Feel Well

There are numerous benefits of exercise to overall health and wellness. Physically, it helps:

• Strengthen the heart and lungs
• Reduce the risk of stroke
• Improve the immune system
• Regulates blood sugar
• Improve bone health

Moreover, it positively impacts mental health by easing anxiety and depression, improving sleep quality, and boosting cognitive function through neuroplasticity (remodeling of brain circuits). However, it is difficult to start exercising when feeling down, anxious, or unmotivated.

There are a few strategies to help you get started when considering exercise and mental health:

• Focus on the benefits: Exercise should not be a punishment or a chore. Think about the ways that it is good for you.
• Start small: Break down your goals into manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed. For example, you could start with 5 minutes daily and build on it by one minute.
• Find a buddy: Exercising with a partner adds the mental health benefit of connection.
• Embrace imperfection: Allow yourself grace. If you haven’t exercised in a few days, get back to it, and don’t beat yourself up.
• Do something fun: The best exercise for mental health is the kind you enjoy and can stick to.
• Reward yourself: Celebrate your progress with a new workout outfit or a massage.
• Use positive self-talk: The more you tell yourself something, the more it becomes true. Ask yourself if your thought is accurate or helpful. If not, could the opposite be true?

When you live with a mental health problem, it can be difficult to overcome negative thought patterns. You can remove the mental barriers to exercise by using these techniques.

Overcoming Obstacles to Exercise

Other obstacles to exercise are external and not rooted in internal beliefs. Time constraints, discomfort from injuries, or boredom can be significant hurdles to exercise. Lack of energy, stemming from poor sleep, stress, or mental health conditions, can also impede efforts to get moving. However, by implementing the following strategies, you can reap the benefits of exercise, enjoy it, and incorporate it into your lifestyle.

Commit to Moving Every Day

Committing to moving every single day will build a habit and encourage consistency. Commit to small frames as short as 5 minutes, a quick walk around the block, a few stretches, or even some light dancing in your living room. By creating a daily habit of movement, you’ll make a foundation for longer, more intense workouts in the future.

Get Dressed

Getting dressed in your workout gear is a simple trick to help you overcome the mental hurdle of initiating exercise. Once you lace up your shoes, you’re more likely to move. This can create momentum if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated.

Keep a Schedule

Make exercise a non-negotiable part of your day. If you thrive on structure and routine, schedule your exercise time on your calendar, like a meeting or a doctor’s appointment. This method can create self-accountability and keep you on track.

Take a Class

Joining an in-person exercise class can help those who thrive on social connection. It also takes the guesswork out of choosing a workout, provides expert guidance, and is fun. Group classes can increase both the time you spend doing exercise and your mental health.

Start a Structured Routine

Joining a structured, established exercise program can be a great way to kickstart your fitness journey. These programs often provide detailed schedules, workout routines, and nutrition guidance. Several options are available online, and many have apps for added convenience.

Buy Home Equipment

Investing in simple home exercise equipment, such as an exercise bike or a few weights, can make exercise more convenient. It allows you to work out on your schedule, in the comfort of your home, or at short intervals throughout the day.

However, if you are unable to purchase equipment, do not let this be a barrier to adding exercise to your routine. Many items you already have in the house, like heavy cans, chairs, and towels, can be utilized in an at-home workout routine.

Involve Your Family (and Dog)

Exercising with a dog or children is a fun way to get moving! Not only will you be exercising, but you’ll also be bonding with your furry friend or child, which adds to the mental health benefits of exercising outside.

Hire a Trainer

Invest in expert guidance and accountability. Hiring a personal trainer can provide specialist advice and accountability. They’ll also encourage you and provide feedback, helping you stay on track. This can be helpful if you struggle to keep motivated or have specific physical challenges.

Go Outside

This can be a fantastic way to boost your mood, enjoy fresh air, and connect with nature. Whether it’s a brisk walk, a bike ride, or a hike, exercise doesn’t have to be confined to a structured environment. Exposure to nature has mental health benefits that can augment exercise.

Easy Ways to Move More That Don’t Involve the Gym

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to the movement completed throughout the day that isn’t structured exercise. It includes activities such as walking around the house, taking the stairs, fidgeting, doing chores, or even playing with kids or pets. Individuals with naturally higher NEAT levels tend to be more active throughout their day, often fidgeting or moving more. NEAT also improves well-being in those with mental health problems.

Studying those who naturally live longer lives with minimal disease provides insight into how NEAT can improve health. Blue Zones, regions where people live remarkably long and healthy lives, offer valuable insights into the power of incorporating natural movement. Inhabitants of Blue Zones rarely rely on gym memberships or structured exercise programs. Instead, their daily routines are infused with movement, whether walking to the store, tending to gardens, or engaging in social gatherings. Incorporating movement into the natural rhythm of life contributes significantly to promoting longevity and resilience.

How to Make Exercise a Part of Your Everyday Life

You don’t have to start a formal exercise program to reap the benefits. You can incorporate exercise into your day in many ways:

• Take the stairs: Use stairs whenever possible instead of the elevator.
• Park farther away: Park in the farthest spot in the parking lot and walk the extra distance.
• Walk during work breaks: Take breaks during work or study sessions to get blood flowing and clear your head.
• Do chores actively: Engage in active chores like gardening, yard work, or house cleaning.
• Get creative: Try hobbies that involve movement, like dance lessons or sports.
• Engage with kids: Get on the floor and play actively with your children.
• Grocery shop in the store: Avoid online grocery shopping and walk the aisles at the store.
• Stand more: Try to stand up as much as possible throughout the day, even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time.
• Walk after meals: Go for a short walk after meals to help regulate blood sugar levels and improve digestion.

Find activities you enjoy and incorporate them into your day if you are short on time or need help finding motivation.

What Are the Mental Health Benefits of Exercise?

The benefits of exercise on brain health operate through several different mechanisms:

• Increased dopamine: This chemical is involved in reward circuits in the brain. A study published in the Frontiers of Public Health found that high-intensity interval training could increase dopamine in the brain and create a sense of well-being.
• Prevention of anxiety: Higher levels of physical activity are associated with a lower incidence of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Improved attention: Exercise can improve attention in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
• Decreased substance use: People with higher levels of physical activity generally have reduced use of substances and self-medication for anxiety.
• Improved quality of life: A study published in Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy described enhanced quality of life and cognition in people who engage in physical activity.
• Reduced depression: Exercise can improve mood, memory, and even learning.

Exercise affects mental health by changing the brain’s structure and increasing feel-good chemicals. Starting an exercise program doesn’t have to be overwhelming; you can reap the benefits at any fitness level.

Simple Steps to Start Exercising with Mental Health Challenges

Starting an exercise routine when you are struggling with a mental health issue can seem complicated, but you can take small steps and progress slowly. Exercise can help you improve your mood, motivation, and self-efficacy and optimize your overall health.

Exercise can also enhance other treatment modalities, such as therapy and medication. If you are struggling with your mental health and are interested in exploring these professional treatment options, reach out to your healthcare provider or mental health practitioner today.