8 Workouts For Depression You Can Do At Home

Not every dance workout has to be a high-intensity Zoom class. "One of the best ways to stay moving is to schedule myself 10 minutes of music with movement," Brower says. "It doesn't matter what kind of movement — even running in place on my yoga mat works — but I have to listen to music I love when I'm doing it. When I'm in the depths of sadness, which runs in my family and lives in my bones, this helps me tremendously to keep energy moving through my system."

"Sometimes when you're going through depression, even leaving the house may seem like something really difficult to do," Paul says. The good news is you don't even have to break a sweat to get some movement in. "Going through a simple at-home stretching routine will not only help you feel better physically, but you'll also feel better emotional that you were able to complete it," he says.

Figure out what feels manageable to you. Maybe it's some gentle stretching, or you just need to remind yourself to take a few long breaths in and out. "Choose a very short, low-intensity practice that doesn't contribute to feeling burdened or overwhelmed," says Glo yoga teacher Jason Crandell. "Resist the notion that it's an all-or-nothing dynamic in which you're either working out intensely or not at all."

Even if it's virtual, having a pal with you can help. "With a workout buddy, you can hold each other accountable, leave whatever is on your mind outside of the workout, and hopefully experience a few laughs while you train," says Courtney Olson, a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with Blink Fitness. FaceTime your friend to do some breathing or kickboxing together, and feel free to make faces at each other to see who breaks into a giggle fit first.

Some sunlight might help you feel a little lighter, but you can still get a good jog in even if you can't quite get yourself out the front door. "Running in place is so silly, but I love it," Brower says. "Jumping in place with good alignment of knees and feet also works; plyometric exercise circulates lymph and energy through the body and really helps to change my state."

Yoga isn't a cure-all, but it can serve as a restorative form of movement when you want to exercise but lack the desire or ability to jump into something high intensity.

"Just doing a few sun salutations can also be a great help to shift sticky moods quickly," Brower says. It'll take all of two minutes if you just want to do a couple of cycles of standing, folding, stretching, and standing again. Your body will get warm but probably not overly sweaty. You can go as slow as you need, or as energetic as you want.

"Simple, brief yoga practices that are designed for new students are a great starting place," Crandell tells Bustle. "Many people can be intimidated by what they perceive yoga to be — or who they perceive yoga is for. In reality, there are styles of yoga — especially those designed for new students — that are highly accessible and beneficial."

"The upside of practicing at home is that it's private, and this can be reassuring for many," Crandell says. "This privacy can decrease the feeling of external pressures to perform or fit into a specific story of body-type narratives. It's possible that this will relieve the additional burden of fitting into an exercise culture that you may not resonate with."

Brower personally loves working out at home during the pandemic, because it comes with a huge side of self-love. "As long as I stick to my schedule, I find home workouts to be delicious," she says. "I jump right into a bath or shower and do all sorts of yummy self-care that I would've rushed through at the gym."

Sometimes, the mental energy it takes to convince yourself to exercise is so draining that you can't spend any more thinking on the moves themselves. "Working out can be an added stress if you have to come up with the workout yourself," Olsen says. "Make it easier on yourself by looking up a workout video. There are tons of videos out there for free. Take advantage of them and try something new."

It might be super hard to get out the door when you're feeling especially down. But once you do, Olsen says, the rewards can make you feel a bit better. "Getting outside and taking in vitamin D is a great way to boost your mood while providing a mind-clearing experience," she says.

If you're like me and a solo walk without a destination gives you anxiety, Olsen recommends going on little errands. It doesn't have to be a formal workout for the movement to "count."