Report on exercise treatment

[quitter333]

I have had slight depression for about 16 months and recentry about 2 months back after quitting cigarettes (10year habit) I started having panic attacks, anxiety, very prominent depression, depersonalization and insomnia. Due unrelated circumstances at this point I also have abstained from reguslr exercises for about 5 months ( before that I exercised a lot abot 3-4 times a week).

...

At this point I have serious insomnia ( i wake up every 2-4 hours and then cant sleep for 1-2 hours. I sometimes just say fck it and stop nights sleep at 3AM.) and anxiety (i can almost feel adrensline pumping in my body every few hours. Its mentally manageable but bothersome and makes my thoughts race. Also makes me think subtly I may injure myself.. like pencils or bright objects on my side bother me and make me think i can injure my eyes against them(.

...

Ill try to record my experience as I am back to regular exercise schedule - at least 3 times a week per 2 hours in gym. I have gotten weak now, so I think anyone can learn something from me. Perhsps you will read it and decide to exercise too.

Today on 17th.november I exercised for about 1 hour - bench press - deadlifts ( from very light to heavy and at least one time I pushed for more than I felt comfortable). Concentration is weak.. my thoughts wander around when I started with jog.

Now hour later.. my anxiety still is here but has noticeable drop. Not too noticeable.

I feel sleepy already. Ill go meet friends and try to be in bed by 24oo.

So first try for regular exercise - its ok but honestly you feel more physical (tiredness) than mental benefits.so far so good. Lets see what happens in 1 week. Gonna write it here!!

[Agora1]

quitter333, a Big Congrats for winning over a 10 year habit of smoking.

Big step forward.

As for getting back to exercise, I totally support you. Like you, I had stopped

my 4-5 times a week aquatics a few years ago. Before that I was into strength

training for my job. Never felt better during that time. I could actually feel

my Endorphin level heightened after each strenuous workout.

So my friend, go for it. It pays off big time. x

[quitter333 in reply to Agora1]

Yeah, once you get a taste of panic attack smoking is the last thing you ever wish to do again.

[quitter333]

So.. report on exercises

I went to bed very late in 17th November (shame, I wanted to keep going to bet at around 23:oo).

Overall felt pretty good after gym, slight anxiety, but there was positive feeling also. I went to bet quite quickly, but still got up during the night after some 2 hours. Overall slept 6 hours (I just decided that its enough sleeping, I could probably sleep more)

.......

18th November -

Anxiety during day is almost non existent. I think the only worry is about having worries. Aside from disrupted nights sleep, I actually feel very good and in good mood and productive.

Going to Exercise No.2. About 1 hour 15 minutes - I did squats and bench presses, then leg presses, and I tried to go moderately heavy and fast, so at some points concentration went 100% to exercise.

After gym felt very good.

I did feel some racing thoughts every now and then during the day, but I think good nights sleep helped me a lot. Before sleep I feel a little worry about having bad nights sleep. Overall evening mood is better than yesterday. Next exercise day on 20.th November. Ill see what positive or negative changes can be felt. Exercise is now the only real change in life, otherwise I live like any other day, hopefully it will kill depression n anxiety (and weird racing thoughts, bit numb hand and minor things like that).

[quitter333]

Report update

19th November

Ok, so gym pretty much cures daily anxiety, but I still have anxiety waves at night and still noticeable insomnia (I wake up very often ever 1-4 hours). I have VERY LITTLE anxiety about waking up (as opposed to panicky "oh no I am going insane") but waking up makes me sleep in and it's distracting.

Melatonin made me super sleepy and I even saw dreams. But I also saw a slight scary dream during the night.

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20th November

Same thing as above. I think weak night sleep makes me have small bouts of racing thoughts, but I feel very much in control. It's tiring, but I can attribute it to nights sleep.

It's time to go and exercise again, it's 8PM (20:00). I'm aiming to turn off all screens and communications, go to gym and read a book until I sleep.

[quitter333]

20th november - I was super tired from work, went to gym and just went through motions doing arm workout.

Exercises made me feel more energetic, but I was done with doing other things, like reading or playing videogames.

___

21.november

Had a nice sleep, but still woke up like 2 times during the night and stood up at least for an hour, listening to a great channel - Historia Civilis about Rome and Caesar. Drifted off. Sleep time overall was 6 hours.

I woke up rather energized, read somewhere that "the 1st hour of the day is how you set your day" and tried to be happy/chatty.

Actually felt very great. Exercises almost eliminated day anxiety, though I felt two 10-minute bouts during the day (a bit racing thoughts and bloodrush), but I felt 100% in control. Just drank tea and worked further.

Rest day today - no gym!

___

22. november

WOW had a nice 8 hour sleep without interruption!!!

I feel like working hard yesterday was the key.

Went to sleep and thought about stuff I did and woke up already at 8 AM.

Felt a bit weird, after breakfast really wanted to sleep more and basically napped one more hour, but then realized I need to rush to work.

Zero anxiety, but I still feel weird-ish, as if I just emerged from a cave after month's sleep. I did experience a bit racing thoughts for few moments, but again - feeling good.

Major laziness today, but it feel like when I focus I feel best.

[quitter333]

Ok, one last update

- It has gotten WAAAAY better.

I exercised a little less than I wanted, because I got distracted and simply lacked discipline. I assume if I followed my strict 4x week gym, I would feel even better.

1. Sports finally made my metabolism much faster and I felt any anxiety or depression to leave my brain very very quickly.

2. I have more energy and can easily willpower back to work or tasks or talking to people, because of this excess energy. I am finally more active than my blasted pet ferrets.

3. Running is the best exercise, followed by deadlifts - both require very strong focus.

4. !! Caution - DO NOT do sports close to sleeping time. Choose either early morning or right after your job, ending your sports session no later than at 8PM.

I twice observed that if I go to gym late, ending my session at about 22:oo, I had VERY bad night sleep. I was flushing with energy and while not feeling bad, I could not sleep. It was terrible. Make sure to cool down after gym, do something relaxing.

5. Regaining appetite makes me super happy, when it's meal time, so it's another small thing to be happy about, that makes any depressive thoughts run away.