I was reading the other day about the six good doctors we need in our lives to stay healthy. As I was reading through the list it occurred to me that these six doctors are particularly applicable to our mental health. They are:

·       Fresh air and sunshine

·       Exercise

·       A good diet

·       Sleep

·       Friends/community

·       A Purpose in life

Looking down this list it’s easy to nod wisely and then move on, but it’s worth taking the time to evaluate all these things and see how our lives measure up. This week: exercise.

What can be said about exercise that hasn’t already been said? We all know that, in mild cases of depression, exercise is just as effective, if not more effective, than medication. Even if we actively hate getting all hot and sweaty, I don’t think any of us will deny we feel better for it. Those endorphins are real.

Being honest, however, many of us don’t take enough exercise. We have sedentary jobs and sedentary hobbies – watching sports on TV doesn’t count. Unless we make a point of getting out of the house – into the fresh air, as discussed last week – or getting out the yoga mat and the pilates DVD, we can end up as couch potatoes.

One of the reasons my friend has a dog is it gets her out of the house every day to take the dog for a walk. She gets a walk too. Ordinary activities like gardening are exercise and so is pushing round a vacuum cleaner – although, if you’re like me, you only do this once a week.

I think the secret is to find something you enjoy and embed it into your routine. Sometimes it’s easier if it is an organised session for which you have paid money and to which other people expect you to show up. I know that I am spurred on to swim more regularly because I have paid my monthly fee and a couple of friends expect to see me there and miss me when I’m not. I have a standing weekly walk and talk date with a good friend. When I’m too ill to walk, we still meet up and talk.

Which brings me to the most important thing I want to say. Sometimes we just can’t exercise, and that’s okay. Notice I said “mild” depression in my point above. If your depression is so severe that just getting out of bed is a major achievement, then it’s utterly unreasonable to expect exercise from yourself. I know, when I am in the depressive part of my bipolar cycle, I literally do not have the strength to walk further than to the end of my drive. In addition, my balance is severely affected, so I end up just sitting or lying on the sofa all day. Sometimes you need rest and not exercise.

Yes, exercise is desirable, but one form of exercise that is not desirable is beating yourself up for not getting any exercise.

Mary

A Moodscope member