Posted by Hombre on November 9, 2010, at 22:59:50
In reply to Re: Exercise, posted by Phillipa on November 9, 2010, at 21:28:30
Very inspiring posts by Phillip and others about doing what they can, and working around physical problems to add activity to their arsenal against depression.
When I start to get down, I often feel "disconnected" from my body. And the last thing I want to do is exercise, because I feel so tired to begin with. If you have an exercise buddy nearby, they can sometimes gently persuade you to get out the door, and usually after five minutes or so you're glad you did. But getting out the door is the hard part.
Sometimes mindful movement can be a better way to see physical activity vs. all the baggage that goes with "exercise", such as appearance, not being "sporty", etc. I am not naturally athletic, sporty, fit, or coordinated. That's OK, I don't mind looking a bit foolish if it helps me to feel better.
Laying on the ground and doing slow, deep breathing is one way I learned to reconnect with my body. If I feel up to it, I start coordinating the tensing and relaxing of my muscles with my breath. E.g. breathe in, tense everything, even my face (this looks hilarious, by the way. best if done with a partner!). Breathe out, relax everything. Then, breathe in, tighten only my legs. Breathe out, relax. Breathe in, tighten my arms, breathe out, relax. I just make it up as I go to suit my mood and energy levels. That way I don't feel like I'm locked into some boring routine. Five to ten minutes is enough, but after that I sometimes feel sassy enough to take on something more ambitious like a push up or two.
With practice, you'll be able to isolate, tense, and relax your muscles at will, even muscles you didn't know existed. You can focus on tension to energize, or focus on relaxing for...relaxation.
I try to use this method while walking and running too. Breathe in through the nose, breathe out through the mouth. Breathe faster for more effort, breathe slower to cool down. That way I distract myself from the voice in my head that is screaming at me because my attention span doesn't take well to repetition.
poster:Hombre
thread:969273
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20101107/msgs/969510.html