You know winter is coming not only when the temperature gets colder, but so does your mood. It's quite tempting to stay in bed until spring rolls around, but it's important to stay moving for both your physical and mental health! Lack of sunlight may make it difficult to find the motivation and energy to get a workout in. In today's blog post, we share how exercise can combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and what you can do to motivate yourself to get physical activity in!

Keep reading to find out how staying active can help fight seasonal depression this winter!

Importance of exercise:

We should know by now that exercise and physical activity is important for improving our physical and mental health. Not only does exercise help to improve these aspects, but also helps prevent a handful of health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis. Based on research, exercise shows to improve psychological benefits like mood and reducing anxiety.

How can exercise help combat depression and anxiety?

Exercise is beneficial for anyone who is suffering from seasonal depression. This is because when we exercise, we release endorphins. The chemical hormones in your body help reduce pain, reduce stress, and improve your sense of well-being. In addition, when these "happy hormones" are released into your bloodstream, they help reduce anxiety. This is a great first step in combatting seasonal depression!

Exercise also helps reduce fatigue and tiredness by getting your body moving and muscles activated. Physical activity can be such a beautiful and useful tool to help take your mind off your worries for a little while. Setting aside as little as 20-30 minutes a day to engage in physical activity can have many beneficial impacts on your life!

What other ways can daily exercise impact your life?

Regular exercise is one of the simplest and healthiest ways of improving psychological and emotional benefits! In addition to help fighting seasonal depression, exercise can also be used to:

Boost confidence. Regular exercise can aid in improving your self-esteem. This is because you will begin to feel strong and powerful by increasing exercise habits into your daily routine. Additionally, exercise helps your confidence with respect to your appearance and feeling a sense of achievement.

Healthy coping mechanism. When done in a healthy manner, exercise is one of the best coping mechanisms to manage seasonal depression and anxiety. Instead of leaning toward alcohol, wishing depression will go away on its own, or dwelling alone, getting your body moving can be the best thing for you!

Help relax the muscles & relieves tension. Exercise is a powerful tool to ease up anxiety and tension in the body. Using exercise as a way to calm your stressors will help boost your mood and energy.

Better sleep. Studies show that even small bursts of exercise incorporated in the day can help regulate sleep patterns.

Better quality of sleep links to better moods, increased energy, and helps promote healthier physical activity levels throughout the day.

Boost energy levels & focus. As mentioned previously, exercise naturally helps boost energy levels. This is due to the cellular-level changes that occur in the body when you exercise. Scientifically speaking, exercise initiates the body to produce more mitochondria inside the muscle cells. These "powerhouses" create fuel out of glucose and thus increase your body's energy supply. Additionally, exercise increases hormone levels, making you feel more energized.

How to start:

Many of us can agree that some days getting up and going to the gym is the last thing we want to do. When the weather gets cold and frigid, it makes it 10x harder to get your gym bag together and head out the door! However, it is important to recognize all the benefits that exercise has for our mental health, so starting small is key to combat a seasonal slump. Here are a few ways to start:

• Wear a workout outfit that makes you feel confident, yet comfortable.

• Make exercise a social activity by joining a friend one morning or asking them to try out a new fitness class.

• Set goals for yourself. The best way to start small is to set a small goal of ____ number of minutes. This way you can give yourself the choice on how long you want to exercise. Even 10 minutes of engaging in some type of physical activity can be an accomplishment for you!

• Schedule workouts when energy is at its peak. You simply will be less motivated to go to the gym when your energy is at its lowest. Try evaluating when your energy is at its highest throughout the day to get some movement in.

• Don't overcomplicate workouts. Just a simple 15-minute walk can help you clear your mind and boost your energy levels!

• Choose activities you enjoy. There is a wide variety of ways to engage in physical activity. Any activity that gets you moving counts! It is important to choose exercises you genuinely enjoy. One that won't decrease your motivation even more by not enjoying. Activities such as walking the dog a mile or two, joining a friend for yoga, or even gardening or raking leaves will help boost your mood!

What type of exercise will work best?

There is not a one-size-fits-all when it comes to which exercise is best for your mental health. Simply choosing what you find enjoyment in can help combat the seasonal depression you are experiencing. Below are 8 ways you can get your body moving in ways that are not too strenuous.

1. Take a brief walk around the block.

2. Go for a bike ride on the nearest nature trail.

3. Try out a 30-minute at home yoga session. There are a ton to choose from on YouTube!

4. Get active with the family. Plan a family bike ride together, take the dogs to the park, or walk around the practice field at the kids soccer practice!

5. Walk to go get coffee on break.

6. Actively clean the house or do some yard work.

7. Try out a Zumba class with a friend.

8. Stretch during commercial breaks.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a real event that someone can encounter. Regular exercise can not only help combat symptoms of seasonal depression, but also boost energy and motivation. It is important to start small. Don't worry about needing to spend hours at the gym, forcing an exercise that simply is not working. It is best to find physical activities that you enjoy and can help get you out of your slump! The winter blues may be coming with the change of weather, but I promise that some of these exercise tips will help. Keep your head up, try to get moving, and spring will be here before you know it!

RESOURCES

Advanced Medical Weight Loss & Wellness Center. (2019, December 27). Seasonal Depression: How Exercise Can Help. Retrieved from https://advancedmedicallv.com/seasonal-depression-how-exercise-can-help/

Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms. (2017, September 27). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495#:~:text=Regular exercise may help ease,your sense of well-being

How Can Exercise Affect Sleep? (2022, May 06). Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/exercise-and-sleep

The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm