Winter Blues?

Get Moving.

When someone experiences depression, the symptoms related to it can cause a person to feel down and unmotivated. While we know that physical exercise can relieve some symptoms of depression, just getting out of bed to go to the gym can seem impossible. In this write-up, I am here to tell you that you don’t need to go to the gym for an hour in order to feel the benefits of physical exercise. Physical movement can look like stretching in your room, doing yoga in your living room, or stretching in bed. If you are someone that wants to sleep all the time due to your depression, your body can get very stiff. Movement of the body can release some of the tension in the muscles and joints while feeling less constricted or wound up. 

Some individuals may enjoy spending time outdoors, but depression has kept them inside. It is the time of the year where many people in the US are experiencing the winter season. Many of my clients report feelings of depression coming on as the weather gets colder and the days are shorter. This is the time where getting as much sunlight is vital. This can look like sitting by a window during the day when the sun is the brightest. It can also mean getting outside during daylight and walking for 10 minutes. Or even playing in the snow with your children. These different approaches can be customized to your own needs. You might want to try all of them to find which one works best for you. This doesn’t have to be done to perfection. Remember, you are already perfect as you are, depression and all.  

To recap, physical movement of the body during times of depression can bring relief for an individual. Physical movement doesn’t have to look like going to the gym 5x a week, but rather stretching, yoga, walking, or playing outside with kids or pets. There is no right or wrong way to move your body. Rather, this is time that you get to spend with your body and take care of yourself. You deserve it!