Why is physical activity important?
When people are depressed they tend to spend less time doing any kind of physical activity. Some research has shown that doing more physical activity can improve low mood in people who have depression and in the general population.
Exercise is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a treatment for mild to moderate depression. There is also some evidence to suggest it may be useful for new mums experiencing postnatal depression. The benefits are that it can be cheap to do and you can do it in your own time.
How does it work?
It is not known exactly how physical activity improves low mood, but some ideas are:
• It increases the chemicals (endorphins) in the brain that make you feel good
• Reaching goals and targets can give you a sense of achievement and improve your self-esteem
• Losing weight, becoming more toned and feeling healthier may make you feel better about yourself
• Exercise can be a distraction from your daily stresses and gives you some time to yourself
• Taking part in group activities can lead to more social contact and making new friends.
How can I start doing more physical activity?
Start off slowly with low level activity and gradually build yourself up to more strenuous exercise. Go at your own pace. Have a look around your local area for some activities you think you will enjoy. Some ideas may be:
• Mother and baby swimming classes
• Yoga classes
• Going to the gym
• Dance classes
• Pram pushing
• Tai chi
• Walking
• Swimming
• Exercise or fitness DVDs at home
• Find a friend that would like to exercise with you if you do not want to do it alone
• Find something that will fit into your routine, at a time when you can arrange childcare if you need to
Common Challenges
Looking after a baby can take up a lot of your day, but it is important to look after yourself too. Try to schedule some time each day to do some activity, perhaps when your baby is asleep, between feeds or when there is someone else around to care for them. If this is not possible, you could go out for walks while pushing the baby buggy.
When people are depressed they often have no energy and find it hard to motivate themselves to do things. Set small goals so that it doesn’t seem overwhelming, for example walking up and down stairs for five minutes or dancing to music in the living room. Exercise with a friend.
Choose an activity you used to enjoy before you had your baby or try something new like a Zumba class.
The purpose of using physical activity to improve low mood focuses on creating feelings of achievement, control and having social contact with others. It does not rely so much on strenuous exercise to improve your fitness. However, it is very important to talk to a doctor if you have any health problems that may cause you difficulty.
It is recommended that you wait until after your six week postnatal check before starting regular exercise, and longer if you had a Caesarean delivery.
If you would like some help with starting to get active please speak to a member of staff.