Finding the motivation to exercise isn’t always easy. We say to ourselves, “do I really have time for an hour-long HIIT session?” and quickly get overwhelmed. But according to the results of Parade.com’s recent survey with Cleveland Clinic, 46% of people found that taking short breaks helped improve their mental health, and this break can be even more powerful if you use it to exercise. According to a new study, exercising for just 75 minutes each week (that breaks down to under 11 minutes a day) can significantly reduce your risk of depression. Researchers reviewed the activity levels of 190,000 adults, including 28,000 who had depression. They compared participants who did half of the recommended amount of exercise to those who did no exercise. Interestingly, findings indicated that even with minimal physical activity, participants experienced an immediate decrease in depression.
How exercise can help with symptoms of depression
The mind and body are closely connected, and movement is scientifically proven to change the way you feel. “Movement is medicine. It is true that being physically active is good for our physical and psychological health,” says Kevin Gilliland, PsyD, Executive Director of Innovation360 & host of Struggle Well, Live Well, Worry Less Podcast. “However, it’s also true that lack of movement, being too stationary, is terrible for our psychological and physical health.” We benefit from regular physical activity in several ways. Exercise leads to some chemical and physical processes that promote positive mental and physical states, Dr. Gilliland says. It also gives us the opportunity to interact with more individuals, have pleasant and positive interactions, and feel less isolated and lonely.
How to fit exercise into your daily routine
The more you think about exercise, the more likely you are to talk yourself out of it. So just start! “The key is not to overthink your movement, just move. We talk ourselves out of the first step and that’s a mistake. No need to think about the value or whether or not you feel like it, just move,” Dr. Gilliand explains. Any physical activity is better than no physical activity. There’s a misconception that you need to feel motivated to take action, but the truth is that action often precedes motivation. In other words, once you begin an activity, the motivation to keep going will follow. Dr. Gilliand provides several ways to fit exercise into your day:
Start small
Just look to improve by 1%, a marginal gain. Start with something simple that always has positive effects and that’s walking. Walk your dog even if you don’t have one because that often leads to greater physical activity.
Use an app
Use the 7-Minute Workout App and work that into your routine, especially if you have to travel. A little physical activity builds on more physical activity and often spills over into healthier food choices, too. If you want a workout app that encourages more movement, try any of these.
Walk for a few minutes every hour
Set an alarm on your phone to go off every 60 minutes and get up and walk around your office or the office building. If you work from home, walk away from your home for five minutes so you walk five minutes back.
Drop the word ’exercise’ and focus on movement
It’s a simple psychological shift that can make a major difference. “If you believe you need to exercise, this belief may be a barrier to getting mood-altering movement in,” says Sarah Harmon, a Licensed Mental Health Therapist, yoga instructor and founder of The School of Mom. “This is particularly relevant to someone who is feeling depressed and low energy as focusing on moving is often more accessible than thinking you need to do a 60 min heart-pumping exercise workout.” A quick and effective movement that can be integrated into your day includes walking and gentle stretching.
Link movement practices with something you already do
For example, take a work call while on a walk outside or walk a few blocks: Five to 15 minutes in the morning with your coffee before you start your day. Gentle stretching can also be integrated into your day instead of worrying about what the specific stretch should be, think about moving or stretching every area of your body—i.e.; raise your arms over your head and do some arm circles—Harmon explains. Hold onto a chair and rotate your hips in each direction. Roll your ankles and wrists. Try moving or stretching different areas of your body. This can easily be done in the first few minutes of watching your favorite show. The key is to make movement easy and accessible, and to try linking it to something you’re already doing so it becomes a regular habit, Harmon says. Next up: Not Into HIIT? Walking Is Actually a Great Way to Lose Weight—and These Tips Will Help Sources
JAMA Psychiatry: “Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis”Kevin Gilliland, PsyD Executive Director of Innovation360 & host of Struggle Well, Live Well, Worry Less PodcastSarah Harmon, a Licensed Mental Health Therapist, yoga instructor and founder of The School of Mom
