7 Moves to Lift Your Mood

Whether you’re suffering from depression or just need a mental boost, yoga and meditation can help. Exercise physiologist Nicole Dorsey shares 7 moves to calm your mind and perk up your mood... Depression is a serious condition requiring therapy, medication or both. But just moving your body – while not a cure – can make treatment more effective. In fact, any kind of exercise has psychological and physical benefits that reduce anxiety and lift your spirits, says Tucson physician Jennifer P. Schneider, M.D., Ph.D., author of Living with Chronic Pain (Healthy Living Books). Exercise enhances the action of endorphins, feel-good brain chemicals that circulate throughout the body. “Endorphins improve natural immunity and reduce the perception of physical and emotional pain,” Schneider says. Yoga and other forms of mind-body exercise, such as tai chi, are particularly good for improving mood, says exercise instructor Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit, one of the largest yoga-instructor training organizations in the U.S. One reason: They raise levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), a calming brain chemical that's lower in people with depression, according to a 2010 Boston University study. Higher amounts can mean brighter spirits. Start improving your mood right away with the following moves that Shaw helped design. All you need is a comfortable outfit and a quiet room. Exercise Rx: Just Start Moving You don’t have to jump into a challenging workout program to get depression relief. Walking the dog, gardening or other activities you enjoy can all be a good start. Anything that gets you off the couch and moving can boost your mood, Schneider says. The key is to exercise for at least 20-30 minutes daily, she says. But you can do it in stages. “Adding small amounts of physical activity throughout your day [is enough to] help relieve symptoms of depression,” says Jasper Smits, Ph.D., director of the Anxiety Research and Treatment Program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Exercise Rx: Twist Things Up One of the most significant benefits of yoga is reduced stress and anger, Shaw says. Start your program slowly with a simple Spinal Twist. This calming movement alleviates backaches and increases flexibility along the postural muscles of your back. How to do it: 1. Lie on a mat or the floor. 2. Bring knees into chest. 3. Twist both legs slowly to the right. 4. Place right hand on right thigh and press down. For more of a challenge, straighten bottom (left) leg. 5. Keep both shoulders on the floor, and look toward your right hand. 6. Breathe deeply in this position for 1 minute, then switch sides. Watch out: If you have back pain or a disk injury, this move might aggravate symptoms. To avoid further injury, keep both knees bent and don’t place any stress on the top leg. Exercise Rx: Follow the Sun Flowing from one yoga pose to another while breathing rhythmically slows the heart rate and strengthens your body while increasing endorphin production, Shaw says. This move is based on the traditional Sun Salutation in Hatha Yoga. Shaw simplified it for beginners. Go back and forth in Sunflower Flow for 3 minutes to warm up your body for the remaining exercises. How to do it: 1. Stand with feet at least 4 inches wider than shoulder-distance apart. 2. Turn toes and knees slightly outward. 3. Reach both arms overhead until palms face each other. Inhale deeply. 4. Exhale slowly through the nose while bending knees and hips about 6 inches. Bring arms down until palms nearly touch in front of your belly. 5. Empty all air from your lungs, then inhale again as you stand and start over. Exercise Rx: Invert Your Bad Mood Yoga poses in which feet are lifted above the head, such as headstands and handstands, are called inversions. Besides improving blood circulation to the brain and strengthening core muscles, these moves can calm the mind, Shaw says. The following inversion, in which you lie with your legs up a wall, is great for beginners or anyone who hasn’t exercised in a while, Shaw says. How to do it: 1. Bring knees into chest. 2. Scoot to the wall so your butt is against it. 3. Straighten legs and lean them up the wall. 4. Place hands at your sides. 5. Close your eyes and hold this position for 3-8 minutes. Watch out: If these movements feel uncomfortable, place a folded towel or blanket under your lower back. Exercise Rx: Plow Ahead If you’re up for a challenge, build on the last pose by going all the way upside-down. Plow pose can enhance concentration and increase body awareness, Shaw says. “I do this for at least 5 minutes a day to restore energy and improve my mental focus,” she adds. How to do it: 1. Lie on your back with arms at your sides. 2. Lift legs overhead, using belly strength by contracting abdominal muscles. Bring straight legs toward your head, letting hips and low back rise from the floor, until toes touch (or approach) the floor behind your head. If you can’t touch toes to the floor, don’t force it; just bend knees around your ears. 3. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, lengthening your exhales, and keep your neck and head still. Support your mid-back with both hands, keeping weight on wrists and elbows. Hold this pose for 2-3 minutes. 4. If you can, lift legs vertically upright and move into a shoulder stand, with your weight on your upper arms and shoulders. For more support, do a shoulder stand against a wall. Special considerations: If the plow pose feels uncomfortable, place a folded towel or blanket under your lower back. Avoid shoulder stands, headstands and other more advanced inversions if you’re pregnant, have neck pain, or high or low blood pressure. Exercise Rx: Calm Down with Meditation Meditation can help you sleep better and slow production of stress hormones. The following meditation can be done any time you need a mental boost or a calming break. How to do it: 1. Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position on the floor and close your eyes. 2. Breathe through your nose, lengthening breaths until you can count to 4 or 6 on each inhale and exhale. 3. Visualize a calming object or peaceful, quiet place. 4. If distracting thoughts surface, acknowledge them and let them pass – just focus on your breathing. 5. Continue for 10-20 minutes. Set a clock-radio with soft music to notify you when your time is up. Special considerations: If you have knee or hip pain, sit in a chair, not on the floor. Exercise Rx: Accentuate the Positive Once you can comfortably meditate for at least 10 minutes a day, add a mantra – that is, an affirmation or key phrase, or even a visual image, that has meaning for you. This can help deepen your mind-body awareness and counteract negative thoughts or feelings of hopelessness that depression often brings. Pick a phrase that represents a feeling you want to reinforce, such as “I am strong.” How to do it: 1. Sit in the cross-legged position described above. Choose the same place, about the same time each day, to build this healthy habit. Play music without lyrics, such as classical or new age, if that helps calm you. 2. Breathe slowly, and mentally repeat your chosen phrase, or focus on your visual image, on every inhale. 3. If you have distracting thoughts, acknowledge them but let them go. Keep focusing on your positive mantra or image. Could You Be Depressed? Depression affects 20 million people in any given year and is a serious enough disorder to compromise one's ability to function normally day to day.