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When I was overweight, I was inactive, depressed, and had insomnia.
I would isolate myself from social interaction, which led me down a dark path where I contemplated suicide.
Eventually, fitness was my salvation, as physical activity led to me sleeping better, eating better, feeling better, and thinking better.
Prior to exercise, I was stuck in what was deemed an Inactivity Trap.
So in this post, we are going to go over an article that was written in 2009 with the same name, called "The Inactivity Trap". This article included studies that supported their claims from a psychological standpoint which intrigued me as well.
So let's dive into what the Inactivity Trap is.
The author of the Inactivity Trap article argues those who need exercise the most are those with depression.
Depression and physical inactivity have a bi-directional relationship where the following occurs:
This is the Inactivity Trap. Our psyche can be our worst enemy in that our life experiences can impact your motivation to exercise and vice versa.
From an evolutionary standpoint, scientists have proposed that there was a benefit for depressive symptoms in some individuals in a tribe.
Based on the Evolutionary Adaptation Hypothesis, depression may have provided a survival advantage as a result of social isolation. Individuals who isolated themselves would encounter less conflict or harm from the tribe.
In addition to this, a reduced appetite of food and libido led to less competition with others in the tribe. Changes in sleep patterns would also allow depressed individuals to be more active in times where other are not.
While we some may have used depression in the past as an advantage for survival, depression can be more harmful today.
Depression and physical inactivity in our more sedentary world today can be a silent killer. With isolation comes worsening of depressive symptoms and can lead to contemplation of suicide, self-harm, and more.
I can personally attest to this if you read my story in our previous post.
So with that being said, let's explore the various benefits of physical exercise.
For starters, frequency of exercise can lead to reduced all-cause mortality and minimizing the chance of getting other diseases (such as heart disease).
Adding to that, exercise can eliminate some bad habits and poor eating choices. For example, exercise can potentially lead to the cessation of smoking. As smoking is used as something to treat stress and anxiety, exercise can fill its place overtime.
Exercise can also lead to improved cognitive function, such as memory improvements, focus, and more.
Ultimately, exercise will improve psychological wellbeing, as it reduces stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.
To conclude, we wanted to give you some habits and other recommendations that may help you with physical exercise:
We hope that this either gave you some insight on the benefits of mental health on physical exercise, or it inspired you to get active.
If you need more insights on strategies you can utilize to improve your wellbeing, be sure to subscribe to our email list.
Our latest eBook, Anti-Depress, is included as a free download if you subscribe to our email list.
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at support@reforgedperformance.com or message us on Instagram.
Until next time, Reforged Warrior!
In this more hyperactive and information overloaded world, discipline is needed more than ever before.
With more distractions being thrown at us, it's no wonder many of us feel like we lack discipline to do the things we need to do.
There was a time in my life when my self-esteem was non-existent.
I would actively avoid social situations, second-guess every decision, and constantly seek validation from others.
The good news is that I found a way out.
No more complicated routines, no hour-long meditations, no Saratoga water ice-cold face baths. ;)