Depression and rest days?

[shesprints]

I'm wondering if anyone else here experiences this. I have clinical depression. I find that on days I work out (and it has to include some cardio--which is easy since running is my sport) I'm reasonably OK. I feel mellow afterwards, not anxious or sad or self-hating or lacking in energy.

But on rest days, it just hits me. This makes me not want to take rest days. When I skip my rest, though, I get overly fatigued and find that makes me more depressed anyway because my sleep is disrupted, my whole body aches, and my workouts are sub-par due to lack of recovery.

It's a vicious cycle. I also tried taking walks in the sun on rest days. That helps a little, but it isn't like the flood of endorphins and endocannabinoids I get from sprints. I've tried distracting myself with activities or friends, but I have trouble focusing through the depression fog.

I wonder if some sort of short-term anti-anxiety medication would help? I hate that stuff, though. Actually just hearing about others' experiences would be good... it just sucks...

[dylanrpxxx]

I have the same problem. Im taking a rest day now though. Usually I just try to keep myself as busy as possible on rest days, go on an hour walk if you have the time. Work. Go see a movie. No experience with meds, have had curiosity but not interested ATM.

[Danthesaxman]

Sorry to hear about your fight with the Mighty D. Been there myself, on and off, since 2003.

I know what you mean about rest days... even though your body needs them, not having that activity can really wreak havoc on your psyche. My recommendation is to consider that "rest days" are mostly applicable to weight training and high intensity cardio programs. Few people would say that you can't do steady-state cardio on a rest day. If I can steal a term from Jim Stoppani, call them "active rest days." 30-60 minutes cardio to keep you out of the blue is just fine. If you want to rest the running muscles, consider biking, swimming, rowing, or stair climbing.

There's nothing wrong with medication, in fact at times it can really be a godsend. I've tried several types of meds over the years, and they truly can be beneficial. Considering medicating is something you should talk about with your doctor, but shoot me a PM if you have any questions I might be able to answer, or if you just want to talk to someone who's been there.

[wessejason]

ive had the same problems , it really becomes part of your day . however rest days make your working days that much moree effectivv. keep it in perspective it would be a lot more depressing to lose your hard fougt gains

[Fridge6Pack]

I'm wondering if anyone else here experiences this. I have clinical depression. I find that on days I work out (and it has to include some cardio--which is easy since running is my sport) I'm reasonably OK. I feel mellow afterwards, not anxious or sad or self-hating or lacking in energy.

But on rest days, it just hits me. This makes me not want to take rest days. When I skip my rest, though, I get overly fatigued and find that makes me more depressed anyway because my sleep is disrupted, my whole body aches, and my workouts are sub-par due to lack of recovery.

It's a vicious cycle. I also tried taking walks in the sun on rest days. That helps a little, but it isn't like the flood of endorphins and endocannabinoids I get from sprints. I've tried distracting myself with activities or friends, but I have trouble focusing through the depression fog.

I wonder if some sort of short-term anti-anxiety medication would help? I hate that stuff, though. Actually just hearing about others' experiences would be good... it just sucks...

I have exactly the same thing, it is a huge struggle for me mentally to have to take a day off the gym! For example right now I am 13 days in a row of training without rest (usually between 2.5 to 3 hours a day now)! I was doing twice a day 6 times a week before but the insomnia was killing me so had to stop that!) I get so many overuse injuries now and my CNS is absolutely screwed but still I can't bring myself to take a day off. Its harder taking time off the cardio than the weights. Its not about looking good or feeling good anymore for me! It's an internal struggle of everything that I hate about life, people, injustices, my past etc manifesting itself through exercise addiction. It gives me sense of control. I have crazy thoughts, I tell myself I am an army soldier each day on the treadmill or under the squat rack and that this is WAR. I am at WAR with myself, the machines and with everything I don't like about myself and I say to myself "if today I die in this gym, then it shall be a glorious death".....it's all about going longer, harder and being the last man standing. The pain makes me feel alive. I feel weirdly institutionalized by exercise. ...oh and the exercise bulimia, that's a whole another topic!

[shesprints]

I have exactly the same thing, it is a huge struggle for me mentally to have to take a day off the gym! For example right now I am 13 days in a row of training without rest (usually between 2.5 to 3 hours a day now)! I was doing twice a day 6 times a week before but the insomnia was killing me so had to stop that!) I get so many overuse injuries now and my CNS is absolutely screwed but still I can't bring myself to take a day off. Its harder taking time off the cardio than the weights. Its not about looking good or feeling good anymore for me! It's an internal struggle of everything that I hate about life, people, injustices, my past etc manifesting itself through exercise addiction. It gives me sense of control. I have crazy thoughts, I tell myself I am an army soldier each day on the treadmill or under the squat rack and that this is WAR. I am at WAR with myself, the machines and with everything I don't like about myself and I say to myself "if today I die in this gym, then it shall be a glorious death".....it's all about going longer, harder and being the last man standing. The pain makes me feel alive. I feel weirdly institutionalized by exercise. ...oh and the exercise bulimia, that's a whole another topic!

Geez, dude, sounds like you're struggling. I've been in that cycle of SUPER-high volume and it really messed me up, got overtraining syndrome. I would not recommend it. I also wouldn't be surprised if any binge eating you experience is the result of overexercise creating a physiological compulsion. That can be stroooong and not fully mentally, it can be just physical and hormonal.

Exercise bulimia kind of is another topic. For me I actually have suppressed appetite when I work out, which, unfortunately, is part of why I do enjoy doing it daily--because I'm afraid of my appetite. BUT if I severely overdo it I get binge urges. So nowadays, though I exercise at least 6 days/week, I avoid doing more than 1.5 hours in a day.

In terms of the mental stuff... yeah. It can definitely be a psychological escape. For you it sounds like it is just self-punishment, though, which can actually cut you down, not build you up. Part of the reason I quit long distance running even though I was good at it was that the high mileage felt like pure punishment, not affirmation.

I actually have been thinking about this and some of what keeps me sane is the structure and regimentation of exercise. I also find that using it in a goal-oriented way (training for specific races) really helps prevent crazy overtraining. I follow the plan because I want the results. Then getting good results makes me feel less depressed because it's affirming in a way that 'I killed myself at the gym today' is not. Effort is subjective, times and weights aren't, so I hold onto them longer.

Anyway I really hope you can figure things out.





also @Danthesaxman, good advice, though I think a full rest day is good for me physically so I guess I'll find some mental or social activity to occupy me, or something just plain FUN like frisbee or throwing around a football with friends. Social aspect might help.

[dchuck90]

The body is meant to work and wants to be worked. Natural development/evolution. On your off days do productive things. Train so you can be more efficient and better all around. Go longer/harder handle more stress while keep production up. On your off days think of them as on days to train mentally. Mentally train your mind by meditating and reading/learning. Mental strength is just as important as physical strength. Once you develop strong mental strength you will know how hard you need to workout and start to develop a true purpose to workout verse aiming for looks of what you want to be. You wont feel bad for taking a off day because you will understand the importance of a day of rest so you can be efficient as possible in all activities.

[WesleyEngDOTcom]

I've been going through rest day depression since early this morning, and finally decided to sign up and post in here. I only rest on Sundays and I admit that probably isn't enough for the amount of volume I do, but I need to workout almost daily to keep depression at bay.

[bubba2match]

I've been going through rest day depression since early this morning, and finally decided to sign up and post in here. I only rest on Sundays and I admit that probably isn't enough for the amount of volume I do, but I need to workout almost daily to keep depression at bay.

I go through the same thing.
Female probs mostly.

[trigram]

Maybe you could try still hitting the gym (so that you'll there), but do stretches or the like