Exercise is essential for many reasons, including your mental health. When the winter weather has you unable to exercise the way you like to, it may be time to get creative. Winter exercises can still be invigorating. They may help you fight off seasonal depression if you can stay active in the winter months. At Women’s Recovery, we encourage you to reach out to us by calling 833.754.0554 if you require additional support.
Winter Exercises and Seasonal Depression
Staying active in winter means making a conscious effort to get up and get moving. Doing so can offer a wide range of benefits to your health, including fighting off seasonal depression. This condition is a short-term type of depression that typically occurs during the winter months. It happens for various reasons, including the lack of sunshine, access to Vitamin D, and limited access to other people. When the buildup to the holidays is over, many people become lonely and depressed.
Exercise does not automatically improve seasonal depression. However, it can provide improvement. Exercise works to burn off cortisol, a stress hormone. If you feel anxious or simply unable to focus, it could be due to cortisol’s buildup in your body. Burning it off can help you to de-stress and, in some cases, improve your overall mood. That’s going to help your seasonal depression along with a mental health treatment program.
What Type of Winter Exercises Can You Do?
Being active in winter may require being a bit more creative. However, in many areas, it is still possible to get outdoors for a few minutes each day. Even 20 minutes of sunshine can help with depression. Even insight, there are simple exercises that can help, including:
- Take a walk around the home. If you are sedentary most of the time, just get up and walk around the home. Doing laps may not be fun, but it’s movement.
- Get in some flights of steps. This is an excellent way to get your heart rate up and burn through cortisol. Do as much as you can throughout the day.
- Try to get outside for a brisk walk. Even just a few minutes in the outdoors can help as long as it is safe to do.
- If you can’t go for a walk, try to spend some time on your deck or patio. Do a few cardiovascular or aerobic exercises there to help stimulate blood flow.
- Winter exercises are easier to do in larger spaces, such as walking around the mall or shopping center, heading to a local school to walk around the track when weather permits, or going to a local rec center.
Be creative to stay active in winter. When you do, you give your body and brain the resources it needs to perform at its best.
When It’s More Than Seasonal Depression
There may be times when you find yourself struggling with negative thoughts, feelings of helplessness, and just lacking energy. These symptoms could be seasonal depression, but it also could be a sign of more complex mental health disorders. If you are using drugs or alcohol to combat these moods or are just not able to engage with life, it’s time to get help. Our team at Women’s Recovery can offer support through a range of treatment programs. Some of the treatment options we offer include:
- Depression treatment program
- Bipolar treatment program
- Women’s outpatient treatment program
- Neurofeedback treatment program
Find the Support You Need at Women’s Recovery
Winter exercises are an essential part of keeping yourself mentally fit. Staying active in the winter to battle seasonal depression is critical. Sometimes, you need more than that, though. Our team at Women’s Recovery can provide you with support and guidance to overcome your challenges. To learn more, call 833.754.0554 or reach out to us online.
