Just simply walk away from depression & anxiety!

jazakAllah for that sista!

I stopped exercising for a while during my blue period and took 'st john's wort, but I couldn't do it for more than two weeks.. started exercising again and believe it or not getting the most amazing workout from the tiniest machines

yes you can have it in pink or silver lol



and no I didn't get mine in pink.. I hate the color (but as an encouragement to our dear sisters who might find the coloring endearing)



40 minutes a day but I think you can get away with 15 mins.. and I am regaining my old self back..
the first thing that happened is I got rid of my jello legs and knees.. I was bed ridden for a while and found my muscles atrophied from disuse

I love jogging. I do it at least 2 times a week, if not every day. I think the Idea is to do an activity that you love and you enjoy doing, and that's enough to remove depression. If you do some sport that you don't like (like Golf for me ) that will increase your depression for sure

Yay for exercise. I've recently started jogging and I'm getting better - when I first started I could hardly run betwen two lamp-posts, but last week I ran 2 miles! I know it's not much to some, but it's quite an achievement for me.
And yes, I feel brighter, more confident, more alert and dare I say it... happier? I'm employed in an office and also a full-time student so I really spend faaaarrrr too much time sat on my backside!
Oh that exercise equipment looks intriguing too! I wonder if they sell them in the UK>.....
*Just out of interest....what does Islam say about the benefits of exercise and activity?*

a twenty minute jog around the park feels great also. i feel great after anyways because your getting fresh air at the same time. id highly recommend it.

format_quote Originally Posted by Safiya 1

Jazakallah!
I have also started walking from school to home from a short distance 3 months ago but I stopped it as my school holidays are on.

al7mdlillah sis.. just 15 minutes at least three times a week will prove beneficial insha'Allah.. the most important thing is starting with that first small step.

format_quote Originally Posted by marwen

I love jogging. I do it at least 2 times a week, if not every day. I think the Idea is to do an activity that you love and you enjoy doing, and that's enough to remove depression. If you do some sport that you don't like (like Golf for me ) that will increase your depression for sure

lol.. so true.. I think the reason many people don't stick to it, is because they find it tedious and I dare say painful.. so long as you find your niche and stick to it, it is all that matters..

format_quote Originally Posted by naidamar

physical exercise releases endorphins, right?

Often, after an hour of running on the threadmill I would feel "high", which spurred me to keep going and do more activities in the gym.

absolutely .. 'meditations/ aka prayers' and exercise are amazing gifts from Allah swt to help us deal with the downers of life without chemically modifying our bodies to acquiesce to bad circumstance ...I can't imagine an hour though lol.. today I increased the intensity of my workout and I thought I was going to die lol..

format_quote Originally Posted by Karina

Yay for exercise. I've recently started jogging and I'm getting better - when I first started I could hardly run betwen two lamp-posts, but last week I ran 2 miles! I know it's not much to some, but it's quite an achievement for me.
And yes, I feel brighter, more confident, more alert and dare I say it... happier? I'm employed in an office and also a full-time student so I really spend faaaarrrr too much time sat on my backside!
Oh that exercise equipment looks intriguing too! I wonder if they sell them in the UK>.....
*Just out of interest....what does Islam say about the benefits of exercise and activity?*

1- It is quite an achievement .. there was a joke going around about 'new year's resolution' which is to exercise .. today I put on my jogging uniform and drove around the gym and I feel better already.. everything should be done in a step wise fashion, you are not in competition with anyone, you are doing it for the better of yourself ..

The prophet PBUH used to race with his wife.. and Islam encourages with swimming, archery and horse back riding'

you do have the same machine in England..

http://www.sweatband.com/vfit-fte1-m...l-trainer.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/V-Fit-FTE1-M...2653010&sr=8-1

comparable in price to the U.S me thinkus ..

format_quote Originally Posted by cat eyes

a twenty minute jog around the park feels great also. i feel great after anyways because your getting fresh air at the same time. id highly recommend it.

al7mdlillah.. I was going to recommend this for you based on your other thread where you expressed that you were under-the-weather..

thought I'd add this as an encouragement:

Exercise Induced Anxiety

2 Comments
In response to my call for help I received a great topic idea from one of my readers. The topic is exercise induced anxiety and whether or not lightheadedness and dizziness are caused by anxiety while exercising or is there something else going on?
If you have spent any time reading this blog or any other online resource about anxiety disorders then you know one of the most common bits of advice given to anxiety sufferers is that they exercise. Sometimes though even something as positive and good for you as exercise can cause problems.
So you walk into the gym with your brand new exercise gear and take a look around. You see that someone has just gotten off the stair master machine so you race over so someone else doesn’t beat you there. You climb on and begin the not so fun process of exercising – so far so good.
After you climb off the stair master you notice something just isn’t right. Your out of breath, dizzy, lightheaded and the room may even be moving around just a tad. Is this anxiety or is it exercise related?
Let’s look at the connection between exercise and lightheadedness first. Can exercise cause you to feel dizzy and lightheaded? Yes it can.
You don’t have to have an anxiety disorder to feel off balance or dizzy after physically exerting yourself. The process by which this occurs is normal and not anxiety related.
The What How and Why

When we physically exert ourselves, a.k.a exercise, there is a lot happening in the body. First things first – your heart muscle will begin to beat faster so it can send blood to the muscles doing all the work. This in turn increases blood flow and causes your blood vessels to expand. This makes it easier for the body to send the needed blood to those hard working muscles.
When you stop exercising the blood circulation slows down because those hard working muscles are not asking for as much oxygen/energy. Although your circulation has been slowed the blood vessels in the body remain expanded and this can cause your blood pressure to fall which may cause dizziness.
Prevention
Although feeling dizzy after a good work out is not unheard of you should take steps to avoid it or at least decrease its prevalence.
There are a few things you can do to lower the occurrence of dizziness after exercising. For starters you need to eat right and keep hydrated. When we work out we are using a great deal of energy and we need to make sure that our bodies are prepared for the job ahead.
This doesn’t mean that you have to eat a huge meal before working out but you definitely want to make sure you eat at least a small snack and drink water before and during your workout.
In addition, make sure that you breathe. When people workout, especially with weights, they tend to hold their breath without knowing it. This is obviously not a good idea because your body needs all the oxygen it can get. You should think of oxygen as your fuel.
How you breathe I don’t think is as important as the pace of your breathing. Whether you breathe through your nose, mouth, or both just make sure it is steady and constant. Remember the idea is to intake oxygen not to get fancy or complicated with your breathing.
Another very important preventative measure is warming up and cooling down. Like I mentioned before when you suddenly stop exercising your blood circulation slows down but your blood vessels are still expanded. If you take the time to warm up and cool down then you give your body a chance to ‘catch up’ with your heart rate. This will allow your body to be more in sync with your heart.
In order to warm up and cool down effectively stretch before and after your workouts. When you decide that your workout is coming to a close don’t just stop. You have to come to a gradual stop. If your running slow down to a slow jog and then a brisk walk.
If you are on a stair master simply slow the pace down gradually until you feel relaxed and not laboring to breathe. The key is to gradually stop whatever you’re doing over several minutes.
Even if you are planning only a light workout make sure to keep it steady and be certain to keep your comfort level reasonable. Working out does not have to be a punishing experience.
Lastly, be patient. Sometimes we don’t workout for months or even years. It is unrealistic to not exercise on a regular basis and then think that you can jump back into the saddle and workout very hard.
Take your time and build up your bodies stamina. There is no need to rush because your body will do what you want it to do, but you have to give it time to build the necessary strength.
The Anxiety Connection
Now can exercise bring on an anxiety attack or startled nerves? Yes it can. This is because working out causes the body to undergo a lot of the phyiscal changes that occur during a bout of anxiety.
Profuse sweating, uncontrolled breathing, increased heart rate, dizziness, sound familiar? This is especially true if you are new to exercising vigorously. You may feel a little out of control and off balance. This can cause uneasiness and anxiety. But remember over the long term exercise is good for you!
It is normal to feel uneasy when you physically exert yourself. Your memory is tied into your phyiscal symptoms so much that the very fact that your heart rate is at 150 bpm can scare you. You may be making an unconscious connection between how you feel during or after a workout and your past experiences with anxiety – very normal.
As anxiety sufferers we are simply tuned into our bodies much more than the average person. So if anything feels off it becomes a great concern. We have to train ourselves to understand that not every bump is fatal.
Concerns
Being dizzy and lightheaded after a workout is not normal. It may happen from time to time but is should not be a regular occurrence. If you ever feel like you’re about to pass out sit down or lie down. This will balance blood flow and let your body correct itself.
In addition if you ever feel dizzy or lightheaded during a workout this could be a sign of a serious problem. In this case go see your doctor right away.
Remember that if you start to feel discomfort with respect to your balance and orientation to slow down. Scale back what you are doing or cut your workout short for the day.
Moreover if you tend to workout outside be sure to avoid intense heat or cold as these weather conditions can also cause problems.
Conclusion
The reader who asked that this topic be brought up did so because he is a healthy male in his 20’s with this very problem. He could not figure out why this was happening. Like many of us do when concerned about our health he went to his doctor and was given a stress test and found to be in good health.
I also had the exact same experience. I had a couple of workouts that caused me to feel dizzy and uneasy. I was tested for this and that and the doctor simply told me to breathe while I worked out and to not push myself too hard.
In other words, this is all very common. If you have this problem than going to your doctor is a safe bet. In fact if you are experiencing this problem and are afraid or if this problem is stopping you from exercising go and get checked up.
Once the test are run and you are cleared than you can feel confident about exercising safely. Be sure to follow the tips laid out in this post and don’t be afraid to burn off your excess adrenaline.
Fear comes so easily to us but at the same time we have to find a way to accept it. Accept that you’re sometimes fearful, uneasy, and anxious. But don’t accept any limitations on where you can go or what you can do. We can all be brave when we need to be.


http://www.anxietyguru.net/exercise-induced-anxiety/

format_quote Originally Posted by Life Artist

nice =)

there is a technique I discovered about one year ago called EFT, good for all this stuff!

thank you for sharing..

why not share what you have learned with us insha'Allah? that way others can benefit too

format_quote Originally Posted by marwen

I love jogging. I do it at least 2 times a week, if not every day. I think the Idea is to do an activity that you love and you enjoy doing, and that's enough to remove depression. If you do some sport that you don't like (like Golf for me ) that will increase your depression for sure

I love jogging too.
I find it very therapeutic, because as well as providing me with physical exercise, it also gives me time and freedom to relax my mind.

I am trying to build up to 8K at the moment ...

format_quote Originally Posted by Jennie

I had strong depression for 4-5 years so I don't believe it's possible to beat/surmount depression just with exercise.
Thanks still for this topic.
I have started to do some exercise and it really make me feel good. I have tried jogging too, and that really is fun and therapeutic.

I have suffered from depression, plus bouts of panic attacks sometimes nocturnal and agoraphobia, but can say from my own experience that medications weren't helpful.. I am doing as well exercising as I am on meds but without the side effects and after further reading embarked upon studies that showed that anti/depressants whether pharmaceutical grade or st. John's wort didn't fare as well as placebo..

I believe in cognitive behavioral therapy along with a balanced diet and life style modification and taking it one day at a time..

format_quote Originally Posted by Argamemnon

until a few years ago exercise relieved my anxiety tremendously but nowadays it makes me feel worse.

post number 10 click me deals with exercise induced anxiety .. you shouldn't give it up just because it makes you feel strange or have a sense of impending doom or something isn't right.. always remind yourself of a worst feeling that you have had and survived.. and remember that not every bump on the road is fatal!

w:

^^ I tend to agree with this person even though he wants to sell his own myths of course (after convincing you about what is not working), which I'm not interested in. But I agree with him that anxiety or depression can not be relieved by eating healthy, exercise and taking anti-depressants because that has been my own experience since 2001. I've had at least eight different anti-depressants, I have been eating very healthy for years, for example; brown rice, lentils, whole wheat bread, vegetables, fruit, dried fruit (especially figs, the health benefits of figs are mentioned in the Qur'an by the way), nuts, extra virgin olive oil and so on. I don't want to discourage other people suffering from depression by saying that none of these things work, but that they should not solely focus on these things.