When you are managing depression, this is something that may seem so hard to accomplish, but exercising is a great way to help you keep a happy mood.

Even when energy levels are low there is no reason why exercise cannot be fun.

Physical activity can help alleviate symptoms of depression, decrease the level of stress, and make your brain and body work better.

Starting up when you feel bored & uninspired, or lacking any drive at all doesn’t have to be difficult, & even if you feel that you don’t have much energy at all for a workout, there are ways in which you can make movement a part of your day without having to spend hours on the treadmill, or cycling.

The best exercises for managing depression are those that raise your mood, although you are not in a very good mood.

Can physical activity help in managing depression? 

It may seem like your physical health is more important than your mental health when a doctor advises exercise to lessen the severity of your depressive symptoms, but research has shown that exercise has positive effects on both. 

A 2004 research suggests that regular exercise helps in battling depression. 

This has been supported by numerous research in various ways. According to a 2013 study, exercise lessened the symptoms of depression compared to no exercise at all. 

Also in a 2017 study, even light exercise may help symptoms. The production of specific neurotransmitters that can improve your mood is induced by physical activity, including endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin

According to research published in 2017, exercise may have positive effects on the areas of the brain that control stress and mood, both of which can lead to depression. 

Even if exercise has many advantages, this does not mean that it can completely displace other depression treatments like counseling or medicine. Exercise is yet another beneficial strategy for overcoming depression and elevating your mood.

The following 8 exercises don’t feel like exercise 

When you’re depressed, it can be quite difficult to find the drive and energy to exercise. It could be simpler to stay motivated if you enjoy working out. 

However, if you find it difficult to move when you’re feeling down, you can attempt activities that don’t necessarily feel like exercise.

Behave as a child 

A wonderful technique to increase your physical activity is to act like a child. Think about going to the jungle gym in a park or even climbing a tree.

It would be ideal if you could get some pals, whether they are younger or older, to play board games, hide and seek, or kick a ball about. By including social interaction in your activities, you may increase the fun, feel supported, and be inspired to come together again soon.

Cultivate a garden 

It’s possible that gardening is a terrific physical activity. Although you can also take care of indoor plants, being in touch with nature and breathing fresh air can be pleasant. 

Additionally, it’s really gratifying to watch your seedlings develop over the course of a season. Additionally, research points to the advantages of gardening for mental health. 

For instance, a small 2010 study indicated that participants’ acute stress was lowered by gardening. 

In a short study conducted in 2011, researchers provided depressed individuals a gardening intervention for 12 weeks, and they discovered that after that time, the depressive symptoms of the participants dramatically decreased.

Try temptation bundling 

Many people use a technique called “temptation bundling” to improve their physical activity. Basically, temptation bundling is the practice of combining an enjoyable activity with a necessary task or item on your to-do list (in this case, exercise).

 Setting a rule like, “I’ll do [insert enjoyable activity here], but only while exercising,” will help with this. By doing so, both the concept and the act of exercising will seem more enticing and joyful.

You might like listening to your favorite podcast, but you can only do it while out on a stroll. Or you might exclusively use a stationary bike while playing a particular video game. 

Whatever the delightful pastime, if you can combine it with physical exercise, it should become less challenging to begin each time.

Take your pet for a walk.

An excellent approach to completing two tasks is to take your dog (or cat!) for a stroll. While giving your pet additional attention, you can obtain your recommended daily exercise. 

Establishing a regular walking schedule with a pet can be an easy and enjoyable method to get exercise. 

If you don’t currently own a pet, many shelters require volunteers to play or walk their animals. If you don’t already have a dog but still want to walk one, take this into consideration.

Exercise… on your mattress 

On those difficult days, if you can’t get out of bed, you can still exercise in bed. You can work out while supine, which involves lying flat on your back with your feet on the mattress and elevating your legs and lower body periodically.

Yoga inversions like Viparita Karani, in which you lie down and raise your legs against a wall, are another option.

Go geocaching. 

Finding treasures placed around your neighborhood using the Geocaching app is the basis of what amounts to a global treasure hunt known as Geocaching. What’s even great is that it is totally free. 

A little walking (or trekking) is usually required to find the cache, but because your attention is on the cache, it rarely feels like exercise. You also get to visit new and fascinating locations, such as parks and natural areas.

Game-ify your workout 

Making exercise more enjoyable by making it into a little game is a terrific approach to encourage yourself to exercise more. By establishing reasonable, doable objectives, crossing items off a checklist, or receiving “rewards” for accomplishing activities, you can make your routine more fun. 

A fitness tracker is a typical illustration of gamifying exercise. Some people may find motivation in tracking their activities, especially as they get closer to their goals and can see their progress. Games that use virtual reality (VR) can also be enjoyable while exercising. 

Mobile games like Pokémon GO or apps like Strava track how far you walk around town and give you points for being active.

Take a walk 

All walking counts. Walking while texting, talking on the phone, or shopping online is acceptable as long as you take precautions. 

Another wonderful strategy to increase productivity and get more exercise is to walk during meetings at the office. 

Try to make walking fun for yourself by going to your favorite coffee or ice cream shop, taking pictures of the scenery around you, or going on a walk with a friend or coworker.

Let’s review. 

Even though depression symptoms might make exercising difficult, physical activity of any kind can improve your mood and general well-being. 

Just keep in mind that it’s crucial to pay attention to your body when exercising. When you initially begin an exercise regimen, you don’t want to push yourself too far or work out when you’re sick or wounded. 
Think about how you can move that you enjoy. After all, the goal is to make you feel better on a physical and mental level.