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Keeping active helps depression

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Keeping active helps depression
When people become depressed, they often have no energy or motivation. As a result, they become less active. Doing regular, physical exercise helps to relieve mental and muscular tension. Physical exercise, such as walking, swimming, dancing, playing golf or going to the gym, is helpful.

PLANNING ACTIVITIES

It’s a good idea to have a plan to make sure you get around to doing the activities that make you feel better, physically and mentally. If you stick to the plan, not only will you continue to do the things you enjoy, but you’ll have a sense of achievement. There’s also the added beneﬁt of maintaining social contact with people.
Think about your activities over the past two weeks. Have you:
•     Avoided the tasks that give you a sense of achievement?
•     Avoided friends and family?
•     Done fewer things that you normally enjoy doing?
•     Stopped regular exercise?

If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, the information in this fact sheet may help you become more active.

INCREASE DAILY ACTIVITIES

People with severe depression may have difﬁculty with even simple things, such as getting up and getting dressed in the morning. Generally, the less you do, the worse you feel. Therefore, it’s important to increase your activity level by planning simple daily activities such as shopping, driving, gardening, writing letters or completing simple domestic tasks. When you don’t feel like doing much, plan to do things with other people. Joining in activities with others will improve your motivation. Here’s a way to start planning your activities.
1. Create a schedule that lists the activities you plan to do each day.
2. Start by writing in your regular activities, like showering, eating breakfast and lunch. Then try to ﬁll in the gaps.
3. Include at least one activity you enjoy each day and one activity that will give you a sense of achievement.
4. Schedule some physical activity for each morning and/or late afternoon.
5. Don’t get upset if you can’t stick to your plan, but try to stick to it as closely as possible. If an activity runs overtime or cannot be completed, skip it and move onto the next one at the appointed time.

INCREASE ACTIVITIES YOU ENJOY

•     People with depression lose interest and pleasure in things they once enjoyed. You may even ﬁnd that you’ve
       stopped some of these activities. This loss of pleasure and enjoyment in life then makes you feel worse.
•     Plan activities you’d ﬁnd enjoyable, interesting, relaxing or satisfying. For example, reading, listening to music,
       watching movies, gardening, going to the beach or park, taking part in sporting or creative activities, shopping,
       seeing friends or playing with pets.
•     These activities are important in overcoming your depression. At ﬁrst you may not ﬁnd them as enjoyable as before
       but, if you persist, the pleasure will eventually return.

The depression cycle

INCREASE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

•     People with depression often withdraw from their family and close friends.
•     As a result, they usually have less opportunity to feel connected. A cycle of increasing social isolation then develops.
•     It’s very important to continue to participate in activities with family and close friends and to accept social invitations,
       even though you may not feel like it.
•     People who are more socially isolated have an increased risk of developing depression and take longer to recover.

TIPS TO SUCCESSFULLY PLAN ACTIVITIES

•     The cycle of depression can be broken by doing things you enjoy.
•     Create your schedule in the evening for the following day’s activities, so you’ll have a plan from the moment you
       open your eyes.
•     If necessary, ask someone to help you create your activity plan.
•     If you have difﬁculty getting out of bed in the morning, make plans to meet someone mid-morning. This makes you
       get up and get moving.
•     Include exercise in your activity plan. Physical exercise can help reduce depression.

MORE INFORMATION

Go to Beyond Blue for the following information
Fact sheet 6: Reducing stress beyondblue
Fact sheet 7: Sleeping well beyondblue
Fact sheet 9: Reducing alcohol and other drugs beyondblue
Fact sheet 10: Changing your thinking beyondblue
Fact sheet 11: Antidepressant medication beyondblue
Fact sheet 14: What other treatments are available
for depression and anxiety?