READER RESCUE
MOOD-ALTERING EXERCISE
Q I took up triathlon about 30 years ago to help get over a bad bout of depression. It’s been my saviour and I no longer need any medication. But now I’m finding that I can train or race for about 45mins no problem, but then I get a really bad lowering of mood to the extent that I give up and just do the mileage. Can you help? Hilary Stevenson
a Exercise is a first-line option for improving mental health. However, relying too heavily on exercise to de-stress and boost mood can have diminishing returns, as often we need more of the same thing to feel good. This can often lead to overtraining/insufficient recovery, thus having the exact opposite intended effect.
Stress is stress and if you’re already facing other stressors (relationships, work, family commitments), exercise is an additional stress for your body, especially a workout which regularly feels like a struggle. In fact, over time, too much exercise acts as a withdrawal on the body’s metabolic reserve, triggering an inflammatory response which can directly impact our mood. Additional and prolonged stress floods our body with cortisol, a brain chemical that’s released during ‘fight or flight’ situations, causing our mood to dip and sleep to be disturbed. We often see diminishing returns (athletic performance and mood) with increased intensity and frequency, especially over the long term. On the other hand, the correct frequency, duration and exercise type can promote positive adaptation, known as hormesis.
So I’d suggest testing your cortisol variation throughout the day. Precision Analytical’s Dutch Hormone test is the gold standard for a thorough deep dive into stress hormones. Results are used to inform a bespoke lifestyle, nutrition and supplement programme tailored towards you and your goals. I’d also advise getting a basic blood test from your GP to check your iron, ferritin, B12, vitamin D and thyroid levels.
Both serotonin (regulates mood) and dopamine (the motivational component of reward-motivated behaviour) are both affected by exercise and depression. However, if you already have an imbalance of these, exercise could throw it off even more. So again, test your neurotransmitter levels (also included in the Dutch test) and support appropriately with targeted nutraceuticals alongside an anti-inflammatory wholefoods diet to include quality fats and protein.
Finally, consider more restorative exercise/activities at least twice a week – yoga, stretching, walking. These activities will provide a much-needed opportunity to tune into the body and mind, de-stress and optimise recovery.
“The correct exercise type can promote positive adaptation”