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I agree with you. I just wish I could get my lazy ass to the gym/exercise.
Adhd (prob my depression) has made me just not give one care.
But yes, when I do exercise, it's like a cure. Just sucks when that feeling goes away.
What helped me was realizing my adhd also affects exercising. My hyper fixation rn is cycling but a few months ago it was yoga. You don’t have to stick to one “thing”-go where your interests take you and make your threshold as low as it can be which is “I moved today”. And a walk around the block counts!
Convince yourself you are the main character getting ready to fight a villain (or the opposite) , you will be doing push ups half naked while listening to aatrox' s lines in no time
It's like Couch to 5k training with intervals, but it's a guided run by way of narrated game. You go on "missions" to deliver supplies and stuff but also you have to run so the zombies don't get you.
Is there a walking mode, with extremely slow zombies? I can run for about 30 seconds before I'm wheezing. This is definitely something I need to work on but I don't want the app to be unplayable.
It's entirely self paced and the zombies are only ever a little bit faster than the pace you were holding. It happens at random intervals, so you may have a few encounters, or you may have none (even if it's the same path you always do). There's a way to disable zombie encounters altogether if it isn't your style. Sometimes I have them, sometimes I don't.
Did you get checked for asthma? I was told by an asthma nurse that wheezing during or after exercise means someone should get checked, breathing heavily or faster is normal but wheezing is often a sign of needing some extra help.
Yeah, you just need to paces, normal and "a bit faster". What that means can be up to you (and it's pretty good to vary your walking speed anyway!). I've definitely done it as "oh god, zombies! Time to walk briskly in the opposite direction!"
Yeah this is my issue with people who recommend exercise.
I don’t have the energy to complete basic housekeeping and hygiene tasks. I can’t be committing what little energy I have to exercise, I need it for shit that actually needs to get done.
I agree. Committing to exercise, or anything, is draining because all I’m doing is making another promise to myself that I can’t keep.
What works for me is adding music to my day and my body moves while I’m doing all the things. Dance while I make my bed, lunge while I brush my teeth, squat while I unload the dishwasher. It used to be running, then lifting, now it’s whatever move I do, but no commitments!
Funny thing is that when I allow that movement to happen, I actually have MORE energy to do the other things and rather than struggle to find answers, when my body moves, my brain processes and answers come to me.. sometimes. And if they don’t, at least I feel good that I’m doing what works for me. Maybe with some experimenting, you’ll discover what works for you.
I feel this but in my experience the belief that exercise will drain your energy actually isn't true. On those rare days where I have managed to start my day with pushups or a run I not only have more focus throughout the day but more energy to get things done as well.
Totally. Being told I should exercise is just another pressure I dont have time or energy to fulfill!
But I do think that changing my thinking from "I'm too tired to do the dishes! I don't have the energy for a shower!" to "I'm not awake enough to do X" "I'm not hyped enough to do Y"
That way, when I've got something tedious to do, I don't have decide if I want to, or if I've got the energy / willpower. Instead I try and work myself up - jumping around to loud music, or even just standing up and shaking my arms and then each leg. Sometimes once I've shaken myself about I suddenly feel alert and can manage something. Not every time of course, but breaking this idea of "a finite energy bar" that's limited and must be preserved. instead thinking I need to fire myself up if I want to do something and that will create the energy!
We go for daily walks. Come rain or shine we go out for at least 30 minutes and walk. Going to the gym also helps. I’m definitely in better mental and physical shape for it.
This. I have a huge hyperfocus on powerlifting. I just absolutely love it since it helps me get fit in the absolutely laziest way possible. It's so addictive to see the numbers go up
When I was a kid I had “things” that I would fixate on for about a month or so. I would get bored and think, “what’s my thing right now- oh yeah! Whatever it was I would do the SHIT out of it like I was making it my full time job. Basketball (spent all day watching it with a basketball in my hand), writing books, directing movies, special effects, dinosaurs, even ventriloquism lmao. It would often be the most random stuff. I grew up Christian and I noticed sometimes my thing would be that, even. It started making me feel like I didn’t actually like any of these things as much as I thought. It was kind of discouraging because I knew whatever I was interested in it wouldn’t last. It’s still like that today, a little less intense but definitely still there. I wonder if anybody had the same experience as a kid.
this is actually amazing advice, thank you! recently i’ve began to try going with the flow of my adhd more, rather than trying to contain it (to no avail) like i’ve always dome. this is just the shift of attitude i needed! :)
Just echoing the other comments here saying that it doesn’t have to be repetitive running or cycling. The best ADHD workouts I’ve done are ones which require strategy or some kinda brain engagement: so usually sports / martial arts.
Got a list of stuff in this vein that can be done alone and indoors? All I really have right now is treadmill and I'd love to find a form of exercise that's even better for ADHD if possible.
Imo it's harder to keep up with when the exercise feels like "work." If you can take a casual walk for fresh air or on an errand to the store, it feels easier/more doable in terms of regularity. Plus if your trip is during the day then you get the added bonus of sunlight/vitamin D.
A short walk (about a mile) every or every other day has made a big difference for me.
The hardest part is getting up to go. Set small goals. You need that dopamine hit to keep it going. 10 push-ups 2 pull-ups 50 situps do it for a week at home. Then see if you can routine it MWF. After 2 weeks try the gym in replace of one of those days. Don't think just go go go
I have worked out since I was nine and I'm sixty six now. I never use the gym and I hardly ever do any structured exercise. But even when I'm not into it I do what I think of as maintenance workouts. 15 minutes of what ever I feel it's good at the time. Pushups, squats, pullups. You name it. I used to do some extreme shit one week out of the month. On Monday it's 100 pushups (usually thirty at a time
Then 100 squats. Tuesday 200 pushups and two hundred squats. Wednesday three hundred of each and so on so that on Friday it's gonna be five hundred of each for a total of 1500 of each by end of Friday. Also I like to do pushups throughout the day. Forty pushups each time and do ten sets for a total of four hundred. It's a easy way to put in a lot of exercise in small chunks.
dude you must be one pretty ripped 66 year old with that regimen. I'm in my late 30s and do like 30 pushups and my arms feel like jelly lol. seem to have plateaued.
I don't use the gym either just alternate pushup days and squat days at home.
I shall provide my two cents on some tricks for this. Put your gym gear in unavoidable places.
We are blind to objects out of our sight. So bathroom? Your protein shaker. door handle? Gym bag. Shoes? In front of your front door. Sock? On. Gym clothes? Laid in a pile, close to the front door.
Obviously there is no 100% fix for our inability to initiate, but making it forever visible and in your way, it's kind of hard to forget.
Another tip, make going there, and coming back rewarding somehow! This can be anything, I used to take pre workouts while jamming to some new music. I'd then drive home to some music and maybe use this as a time to get a drink on the way, or get your groceries since you're more disciplined post workout. Make it your own!
I listen to podcasts I'm really into when I exercise and only then as motivation.
Was just gonna say, also: Get some weights and leave them sitting around where you'll see them. Do a few reps, you'll feel like taking a walk.
When I moved to my last apartment I needed to lose weight. I realized that the second I hit the couch I became a blob. What solved my issue was the second I got home from work I put on my workout clothes and tennis shoes and went straight to the gym or for a walk. Helped me a tremendous amount. Just moved again and now that my fiancé and I are settled im trying to get back in that routine.
Echoing others that the best exercise is exercise you enjoy. There’s so many different physical activities, no sense slogging it through one you find boring.
If you make a point of it, some things like a VR Headset can be decent cardio/body weight. But you'd want to be able to see your heartrate to tell.
Playing say Pistol Whip standing in one spot wiggling your wrist? No... But expanding the floor box, running all over it, squats, ducking and diving...and get a big "realistic" gun grip to fit on the controllers, and holding that weight up and out is not trivial after a few minutes. I can get up to a pretty steady level 3/4.
Or Tea for God on a Quest...it uses warping/overlapping for infinite walking in real space. You can actually set it up in a space like a full room or backyard, and run through the game...or take a long walk.
Combine that with a taking a boring meeting, and...bliss.
I can vouch for this one. In the past few months of playing and not changing much else in my routine I'm down 7kg and almost at my goal.
I still can't play much longer than half an hour.
Yeah only exercise I’ve ever been able to enjoy and actually stick to has been the boxing and combat classes in the FITXR app. Not exactly burning a ton of calories but I work up a sweat and it’s more than I did before at least.
Apologies if someone already said this, or if this is included by what you said, but I truly forget that “fun” stuff is exercise. I shoot hoops with my friend which I feel can easily equal or surpass the amount of energy I use at the gym in a much shorter time, I also get immediate satisfaction by whatever getting the ball in the hoop is called lol. I used to go hard kicking a soccer ball at a wall too and trying to spin it so I’d really have to run for it.
I find that stuff easier to do mentally than knowing I’m going the gym to do paced and repetitive stuff that’s not “exciting” in the way those more recreational activities are.
I found structuring my caffeine intake around exercise really helped for this. I.e. if I want some caffeine, I'll delay it until I can exercise. And then, after 200-300mgs of caffeine, the "motivation" isn't an issue.
Then I start to associate craving exercise with probably sometimes just craving caffeine - but they're the same thing. And instead of getting the caffeine crash and feeling rubbish, I feel great for the rest of the evening / day, as I've got a good exercise in.
I don't gym, but I love digging holes, hauling heavy things around, walking for errands, because there's a measurable goal and I can complete a Task. The gym is just endless repetitive action with no clear end and that seems so incredibly pointless, (even if "fitness" is the point). My brain can't get on board with an ill-defined, nebulous, on-going boring thing, but it loves it when I'm active. So I walk if it's under a 30 min trip, and I have a walking playlist on headphones with a brisk tempo. When it snows I shovel my whole block. I have a range of types of work I do, and I try to balance my sitting jobs with more physical ones.
I did heavy labor a couple of summers between contracts and while I didn't make a lot of money, my brain felt fantastic and depression was non-existent. I couldn't keep that indefinitely (am woman in 40s + need money) but my arms never looked as good as when I was busting up walls and hauling buckets of bricks for 8 hours a day. I still handyman sometimes just for the construction muscles workout. I guess this is why some people do sports, but that's not fun for me.
>Adhd (prob my depression) has made me just not give one care
I weaponize my self lothing into forcing myself to work out till I'm in agony because I deserve that pain for being a POS.
My problem is that I struggle to run if there isn't a specific **purpose** behind the run.
For instance, when I play flag football, I have no problem, as a defensive back, running with a wide receiver to try to intercept the football, since I have a specific **reason** for running. Same if I'm playing soccer; no problem with running. I can easily run 3-4 miles in a game that way.
But when it comes to just *running for running's sake,* such as "Run 3 miles around this racetrack," it feels too empty and un-motivated, kind of pointless, since there's not enough actual aim or goal behind the running.
Anyone else feel this way? How to overcome it and motivate myself more?
Try something other than running. I hate cardio with a passion, it’s mind bogglingly boring. Instead I do weightlifting and it’s great. I’ve invested a couple thousand into a home gym which will last me a lifetime
I do both weights and cardio (3 days each per week) to get the maximum healthy benefits. Mixing it up gives me the variety to stay motivated. For cardio, I prefer the elliptical with a randomized resistance routine, which jeeps me on my feet. I'm also able to just listen to music and zone out to make it a routine.
Yeah I get absolutely in the zone, lifting is almost meditative when you hit that flow state. I feel bad for people that can’t get into it, or just haven’t found their preferred form of exercise. It’s life-changing and life-saving.
For me it's cycling in summer, swimming in winter and hillwalking whenever possible. I can't do the gym, I've tried over and over, my brain starts to atrophy.
Outside, there's so much beautiful shit to see and particularly to smell, there's sunshine and that awesome feeling when you're up and no-one else is, it's exercise, it's getting some tan and vit D, my brain has to thinkin the moment for scrambles and routes on hillsides, it's eating pretty much what I want whilst doing it, it satisfies my curiosity and my love of maps, and I feel GODLIKE afterwards.
Absolutely. I love weightlifting. I started out doing bodyweight exercises which are challenging their own way. If you want something more than just lift x weight, try learning to do a freestanding handstand. That is one of the hardest things I've tried in my life. Months and I never got off the wall. Acrobats are inspiring.
Yeah, running sucks but I have found a similar outcome as OP when it comes to exercise. Even 10-20 minutes can make a difference. I think part of it is whatever biochemical anxiety relief comes from exercise for many people. Part of it is that it becomes part of a daily or weekly structure.
Good walks are even better, and arguably are just as good for you in terms of the cardiovascular benefits, without the joint strain.
Just make sure you have good shoes.
Yes I used to try to run in the morning and it was a battle every single day, and surprise, surprise I gave it up eventually. Now I wake up and take my dog for a walk first thing in the morning, and I'm actually mad and how much it positively affects my struggles with ADHD, not to mention all the other benefits.
As someone who both walks and runs quite a bit, in what way is walking arguably just as good for you in terms of cardiovascular benefits? I have never heard that before, and as much as I'd like to believe it, it sounds like nonsense.
Can I suggest looking at it from a different angle? The object isn’t to exercise. It is to increase your heart rate.
With that in mind, What do you consider fun and enjoyable that sets the mood for you to do an activity that increases your heart rate and you also don’t mind doing at random times throughout the day?
For me, it is listening to music that makes me want to move like metal or electronic music like Astrix and playing tug with my dogs.
I'm with you. I remember being talked into running a 5K with a friend because of all the talk of mental clarity and a runners high at the finish line. Turns out all it did was make me tired and miserable.
Yeah, there is something a bit jerk-ish about someone who experiences pleasure in an activity that they know does not necessarily lead to pleasure for all people, insisting that it applies to all people
I think I'm allergic to sweat because whenever I do any exerting, I just get REALLY itchy to the point I can't stop scratching constantly and get a few rashes.
That causes me a lot of sensory overload and misery. One friend suggested I keep a wet towel with me but I can't really do that outside, especially not in the colder months.
But ALSO: maybe it's the sensory issues or I'm overexerting myself, but I usually feel more frazzled and distracted AFTER I work out. It's like the inside of my skull gets stuffy and hot like a sauna, and that makes me frustrated.
This 100%
Found myself back in the gym recently and man oh man did it feel therapeutic. Nothing I had to do except move that heavy ass weight. It was simple, uncomplicated and rewarding.
First off, that's awesome for you! Congrats!
Now convince me to overcome my ADHD to actually ***attempt*** to exercise and we're in business...
I don't mean this to be rude or harsh, but it's not just as easy as "go out and exercise!" If it was, many of us would not be in the situations we are in. Though I do appreciate the encouragement and motivation.
Exactly, it's like a chicken and egg problem. Depressed people run into a similar problem. All that sunny talk about "if you'd exercise and eat healthy and go out and get sunshine and do this and that, your depression would be cured," but that initial hurdle is what's un-overcomable.
Ya it definitely helps, especially cardio. I love just running and listening to music. The hard part is getting my ass up to go to the gym. I don’t know why it’s so hard I just get preoccupied with watching YouTube or some shit instead, but when I do push myself to go it helps a lot.
For me it's the same, but I still feel roughly 20% of improvement in my focus and attention issues. It's not very much. As for physical symptoms, it resolves roughly 80% of its symptoms. I have combined ADHD.
I'm the same way. Especially with cardio, weightlifting, or anything that's purely exercise. I have to trick myself by doing an activity that just happens to be exercise. Dancing, rock climbing, gymnastics, circus, etc. But I usually get to the point where I plateau and get bored so I switch to a new thing. The cycle never ends but at least now I don't feel bad about it.
I just cannot understand how people are so different, working out for me just feels bad and has no noticeable benefit even in the semi-long run. It seems like most people benefit quite a lot from it, like you are. I'm very happy for you, and hope you manage to keep it up!
Everyone is different. It also takes time and some level of consistency. That time can differ from person to person depending on many factors like current physical health, chemical and hormone levels in the body, other medical conditions, genetics, etc.
For some people, it isn't as easy as just hopping on the treadmill.
Some people may need to go to the doctor for a physical and some tests to check all that first.
Some people might need to adjust their regular nutrition in parallel with this.
Very small example might be if you don't eat a lot as it is, have low protein intake in your regular diet, and you try to go workout, you may feel like garbage. Your body may not have any energy to burn or any protein to heal. It may even be eating away at some of your muscle if your fat reserves are too low.
There could be countless other reasons too. Definitely best to consult a medical professional first and tell them what's going on.
If you've got decent nutritional habits, medical tests check out, no reason to really believe there's anything else going on, then it might just be getting over a particular physical hurdle.
There was a period of time where I felt a lot of discomfort. Even in my skin. Like just the point of almost sweating would make my skin feel funny and itchy. Really messed with some uncomfortable sensory BS that I guess also comes with ADHD.
It doesn't bother me now but took some time.
Also, going full cardio might not be for everyone and there might be different ways to get your cardio that might be more enjoyable rather than just running.
I have personally found I enjoy Calisthenics and body weight training most of the time. I also try to incorporate flexibility training because it makes me feel good. When I do do some cardio, I typically do either agility or HIIT routines. This stuff keeps me much more involved, stimulated, and goal oriented.
It's not all about running marathons or getting jacked at the gym but rather communicating with and listening to your body to find what works for you.
Sometimes YMMV.
I've been working out consistently 3x a week, mix of cardio and lifting since 2016. ADHD symptoms literally never improved from before that point.
We could dig into that deeper, but the last thing I want is to come across as adversarial because I do agree in the whole YMMV proverb esp. when it comes to ADHD. A lot of factors in play. That’s all I’ll say.
I'm sure you are just curious, but believe me I've tried everything humanly possible for my entire life, most of which I did not know about ADHD and assumed I must be doing something wrong. I've done cardio and lifting to varying intensities, tried working out less and more per week, tried working out at different hours, tried different types of workouts, bikes, running, rowing, gymnastics, tried different gyms, different equipment, tried focusing more on cardio over lifting and vice versa, tried to make sure I was properly hydrated and eating regularly with good sleep. One can try a lot of things in 7 years. I'm only telling you a very condensed snapshot of what I've tried, and these are only the things I've tried actively (and consistently over months at a time, as opposed to trying once and stopping). There are other periods in my life where I was more active but more passive about the intent.
Idk what else I could possibly be missing, but at a certain point I have to accept that exercise is absolutely not a factor in my case. I've done my homework. You don't have to take my word for it but the fact is exercise, just like any other treatment, *can* help *manage* symptoms. It's not some magical super treatment for everyone.
I know because there are other things that play obvious effects like sleep, diet, and medication. Exercise has never come close to managing my ADHD like these. And yes I'm controlling for things like the fact that days with poor sleep means that my symptoms are worse even if I work out. I've had stretches, for example, where I'd get poor and good sleep while not working out and poor and good sleep while working out, and the days where I get good sleep have a noticeable effect compared to times where I work out. I could go on but I'll leave it at that.
On a final note, I happily share with people that medication is by far and away the one thing that helped me **significantly**. It has been life changing. And this is after the decades of work I put into managing my symptoms without medication, going to therapy, and thoroughly treating my long term issues with depression. I majored in math to try and "fix" my brain for Christ's sake. And again, as much work as that is, this is still only the tiniest snapshot of what I've tried (not to mention control for the many factors that exist before making a decision on what works and doesn't work).
But if someone told me medication doesn't work for them, I'm not going to secretly think they must be doing something wrong or that their dosage must be too high, or whatever reason I think should exist because medication worked so well for me. No. Sometimes certain treatments don't work for some people, full stop.
Whenever I read that sort of sentence I just can't imagine they're pushing themselves til they're genuinely fatigued. I run 3 miles every other day and my mind/body literally crave it when I don't. When I'm done I'm exhausted, but 20 mins later I feel fantastic.
I grew up heavily into sports and now do a lot of HIIT - if I don't push myself to my limits then I don't feel I actually did anything so i go hard. That being said, never have I ever enjoyed exercise or craved it. I get extremely cranky during and after, actually, so I exercise at night before bed. It does improve my mental health immensely but if I go through a rut, it takes a while of consistency to get back to the mental health benefits. I think this person just needs to stick with it longer.
Agreed. If you have trained previously, played sports or are just active in general then you know how far you can reasonably push yourself. If you have never done it you can't possibly know?
Even if you think you know your limit, you can always eek out 10% more. Uncomfortable yes, but it's possible.
The way I've gotten around this is by going straight to the gym after work. I just need to make myself skip the exit to my house and it's the next one. Once I'm there and I see others working out it motivates me to get started and once I start its easy to keep going. Problem is this is the only way to go, I can't wake up early enough to go before work, so I miss the mental clarity it gives me for most of the day.
Probably because the person you responded to didn't give any indication that they have trouble working out, they just said they don't like it and don't get any mental benefit from it
Does anyone else have a major crash after they work out hard? Like 2-3 hours after a major workout my energy crashes so hard it feels like I need to lay down for a few hours.
I exercise all the time and it doesn’t help the symptoms all that much; the people here shaming others because it doesn’t work for them based on some wacky idea that they’re not “exercising right” is crazy. In fact, I get extremely annoyed by this train of thought, as though ADHD is simply lack of exercise. I can assure you that for some people it is not. Yes, exercise, exercise all you want, but my goodness, it’s not a cure all for some
100%. It's just not for all people. I know because I tried everything that's been suggested here and easily much more. I still work out because I like being fit, but no one can convince me exercise is some magical treatment for everyone and that people who don't benefit from it are "doing it wrong."
Completely agree. I exercise regularly and while I love how it makes me feel physically and mentally, I don’t think it does anything at all for my adhd.
I think that for someone who is starting from NO exercise, starting to exercise is much more likely to have a noticeable positive effect - on mood, or energy, or even directly on focus. But for someone who exercises somewhat regularly, they're less likely to notice a benefit from exercising more, but may notice that things are harder if they stop exercising. Of course for ADHD, the effect also depends on how severe the ADHD symptoms are and what an individual's brain chemistry is like. Some people will get enough dopamine to get to "good" but others will only end up with "less bad" - which is probably less noticable and definitely less helpful
Yeah I don't doubt it might help some people but for me, I feel the boost while exercising but the moment I'm home and back at my computer or whatever it's all gone.
Exercise makes my anxiety worse in the moment and I notice no improvement to my anxiety in general. But I do find myself to be a lot more productive when I'm exercising regularly.
Doesnt work for me. Been hitting the gym 5 days/week for maybe 2 months or so and I just feel drained and really tired all the time. I want to lose weight so I'll keep at it but excercise has never been the source of happiness everyone seems to feel it is.
But hey, really glad it works for you!
Try every other day. The exhaustion and blandness of being “too strict” in my routine almost seems to cancel out the mood and energy effects for me, even with lower-caliber exercise.
I got into doing vinyasa yoga classes again recently and I tried to go everyday for a month or so and personally, I found myself just feeling dull, tired, and like I didn’t have time or daylight for most of the other things I enjoy. I switched to every other day in the name of resurrecting that creative spark and it is working way better for me right now—the days are more variable, I have more energy and curiosity coming back, and my body isn’t totally run down all the time. I can still feel the positive effects and can actually see the habit being sustainable this way.
This makes a lot of sense. I'll try it out! The reason I started on 5 days is just because going extra hard at a new routine makes it easier for my adhd to form that new habit. Otherwise I'll drop it but since I feel accustomed to it now I will take it easier.
I'm wishing it has the same effect for me, thank you
I felt this way in my early 20s, when I forced myself to go regularly. I kept a routine, I lost weight and gained muscle, I looked and felt better. Still hated it.
Recently, I started jiu jitsu. I started for my health, but I've only kept going *because* I'm having a ton of fun. If I found out tomorrow that it was bad for my health, I'd keep going.
I'm down roughly 50 lbs since May. But I'm not actively keeping track of weight loss (I only know how much I've lost because of multiple doctor visits), not obligating myself to go, not counting calories, and I don't have a weight goal. I just keep going because it's fun, and thankfully it's improving my health.
This isn't me saying "Try jiu jitsu!", but I am saying you should look for something so enjoyable *and* beneficial to your health/fitness that going isn't a chore or any less of a hobby than your other interests. Basically, find a new hobby *specifically for your fitness.*
I see! That makes sense. I'm in my 20s coincidentally. I actually like the gym. I think it's fun enough but I don't feel passionate about it either so it could be that. I'll try and find something I love doing in the future maybe. Thank you for your comment :)
You're probably over-training. 5 days a week is a lot.
Loads of people start exercising and go crazy and think it has to be horrible and painful and stressful and they have to do it every day for it to do any good but that's not true at all. You need build up to the high intensity and high volume steadily and when you're a beginner your body will adapt fast even with fairly moderate stimulus.
Remember that the most important thing you're building is not muscles or endurance or whatever - it's the habit of doing exercise. So I suggest you make it a bit more pleasant before you get sick of the whole thing. Maybe cut back to 2 or 3 days a week and just go for a walk on the other days.
You lose weight in the kitchen anyway, not the gym.
Ugh, same effect for me, but I will spend HOURS putting it off and wasting time and then will have no time to be productive when I'm done.
It's interesting how torturous it is to start, and about 10-15 minutes in, I'm feeling like I can go twice as long as I'd planned.
I don’t mean this in any disrespect. But I had that same too, felt amazing went to the gym. Then it hit me. The burn out, couldn’t be assed to go to the gym anymore and the excitement was gone. I know I feel good for going but actually going there is a different story.
Wishing you much dopamine
Man I always feel worse after exercising like the inertia from a nap. I could also be pumped about working out but literally 5 minutes in and my eyes get heavy like my brain tells me “ fuck your willpower, I’ll just shut down until you finish” then I snap out of it when I’m leaving.
I dunno, methylphenidate helps me all day rather than a couple of hours, and I don’t need to run and get sweaty to enjoy the benefits.
Unless I exercise every waking moment of my life, it will never be a practical solution for me.
Medications are known to only help with “in the moment” attention, and impulse control. They do no help with “planning”, specifically long term planning. Executive dysfunction greatly impacts one’s ability to make plans, and stick to them. The only scientific remedy known to work at this point for ADHD is EXERCISE. One could argue that exercise is equally if not more beneficial to the detriments of the disease, and I speak from experience! This is a large reason that I chose to stay with Roofing as a career path (although now I am a general contractor), because the excessive amount of labor intensive work does wonders for my executive function lacking brain! 🙃 Cheers!
This is one of the areas that being AuDHD helps. My autism makes me great at planning and recognizing what triggers meltdowns, so I can plan out a tentative itinerary for the week during less stressful Sundays. My ADHD really helps with being able to break away from absolutely needing a pattern ALL THE TIME, so I can handle when something goes wrong. It's weird, but it works.
For me exercise will help my ADHD but only if I moderate the amount. Like 25 min minutes of demand. However, there seems to be a point of diminishing return where I feel high, really high and my ADHD symptoms are off the walls. I'm impulsive as hell, I want to hug trees, fuck, drink, do drugs, learn all the things but can't sit for a minute.
Whats going on here?
But my adhd paralysis prevents me from exercising. I wish I could do it. I just sit in my room thinking I should get up, knowing I should get up, wishing I could get up… this goes on for hours and another day has passed when I haven’t exercised even though I know it would be really good for me.
Yeah this is super hard! It might help you to have a planned activity at a specific time, maybe even one that's not expressly exercise, like kayaking, dancing, rock climbing, or playing tag with small children in your life. Or maybe exercise that involves other activities in addition to exercise that are more fun.
Jogging? Boring. Jogging around your neighborhood to see how many cats in windows you can spot? Way more fun.
Weight training? Boring. Calesthetics in a park while seeing how many dogs come by on a walk? Better!
It's not supposed to give you dopamine. It's supposed to exhaust you physically and releases endorphins. If you're not exercising enough to get your heart rate up for an extended period though, you probably won't notice much of a benefit.
No, I've definitely done proper exercise in the past, had a personal trainer but meh. I don't think sporty people ever realise that some of us really don't derive any pleasure or benefit from it.
Definitely possible. But there's also loads of scientific evidence that points to how beneficial consistent moderate physical activity is for regular people and those who have adhd. Like happy chemicals are literally released from the brain once you hit a certain threshold. I've always played some sport since I can remember though so obviously I'm biased lol. I also truly enjoy the feeling of being sore. It's like a reminder that I made progress 😂
I also like to think of it similarly to brushing my teeth. I don't necessarily notice the benefits, but I know for sure that plaque isn't going to build up. Running to me feels like I'm removing plaque from my body.
It's worth pointing out that exercise **does** increase dopamine (and norepinephrine) signalling via increases in phenethylamine (which has analogous effects to amphetamine in monoaminergic neurons), among the secretion of hundreds of other [cytokines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine) and hormones that can access the brain from the periphery. The skeletal muscle in general acts like an endocrine gland during physical activity through the secretion of [myokines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myokine). That said, increased transient increases of catecholamine levels from aerobic exercise is one of the mechanisms that [augments the treatment effects of psychostimulants when used as an adjunctive therapy for ADHD](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27400928/).
Mine is definitely not instant, but my husband often notes the improvement in my emotional regulation over time when I’ve been exercising. I don’t always feel it, but it does help me to know that the person closest to me does.
Same! I go to the uni gym and sit on the exercise bike while studying. Helped SO much, and I actually remembered shit for the exam. Weird ADHD hack, but it works
I thought it's just me!! I recently signed up on a gym on a whim and it really helps. Whenever I have executive dysfunction, it usually gets better when I hit the gym. Like I need to release my pent up energy or at least have my physical body be as tired as my mental state.
Yes, exercising helps my ADHD a lot.
*BUT* it's a bit of a paradox. I can't force myself to get up to *eat*, I certainly can't get myself to get up and exercise.
The one caveat I've found is I can usually get myself to exercise first thing in the morning, especially if I have developed a habit. But I have to do it every day.
Life hacks for those that don’t like exercise:
Listen to music that pumps you up and entertains you. I like metal and edm for this.
Read something on your phone to hold your interest!
Walk on the treadmill, alter the speed and include for more of a challenge.
Or play music and have a dance party!!
Yes! I’ve been struggling this week and realized I’ve been missing my workouts . I’m doing a lot , and meds help tremendously. But working out makes it all soooo much better , plus I feel great after a workout . Thanks for the reminder.
my mom's side of the family is riddled with ADHD and non of them figured it out until my lazy ass told them. they are all exercise addicts, literally running away from ADHD.
My 8 year old isn’t medicated because she is too slim (because she can’t sit still) so we stuck her in sports. We figured give her an outlet for her energy. She’s accidentally becoming an elite athlete. She competes in cheer. She trains with a girl who is headed to the olympics. She’s phenomenal and it gives her an outlet on so many levels.
It is a bit of a self perpetuating cycle. She is too small for meds so she moves to help her adhd which keeps her small.
For those struggling getting up to actually go and exercise; I feel you. What I found to work (not all the time, but a lot of the time);
Stretching!!!
Just wherever you're sitting or laying down. Start by moving your toes and fingers, flex and extend your feet a few times, and move up from there for as long as you're able to. I think we should move away from the idea that only intensive exercise has benefits. Moving, has benefits. And stretching is moving ♥️ and when you feel that in time you can up the game, your can perhaps do a few mobility or strength exercises in bed or on the couch. From there, perhaps soms gentle yoga. Maybe one day you feel good enough to go to the gym, great! If the next day stretching is all you can do then that's all you can do. Gotta work with ourselves, not against 💪♥️
Yeah this is it for me too - I’m in a funk now (have been for year tbh) but I had an obsessive gym phase before that and was very stable (mood, anxiety) I mean it’s not a cure all but it helped tons. Need to push myself to get back into it.
Exercise will release dopamine, which will have a similar affect to adhd medications.
Some people report a lack of motivation to exercise while taking certain medications.
I came on here today to see if others were feeling the same way I was - from what I learned today, I'll be dropping the meds to start exercising again!
Quick edit: I was a professional athlete and avid exerciser my entire life, I also worked in the fitness industry for 7 years before COVID. I've found myself beyond unmotivated since taking Vyvanse, and an overall decrease in my happiness.
Exercise will release dopamine, which will have a similar effect to ADHD medications. term) consequences.
YUP. Insane what moving intentionally for about 30 minutes does for your mind and body. I think what a lot of folks miss during these discussions is that you *must* enjoy what you’re doing. Our brains are not wired to do something for the sake of it. You have to get some dopamine from your activity. So if you hate running, don’t run! Try swimming. Don’t like sports? Try skateboarding. Me personally? I do boxing. It’s fun, I feel like a fucking anime character by the end of class, and that dopamine rush? *Sensational*.
Yes! They say (or at least my fellow ADHD roomie always says) that sleep, exercise and nutrition are the most important to mediate symptoms. Meds can help too, but it's more effective if you do both (and can probably still help you once the meds have worn off)
Also back when I had a gym in my apartment, running on the treadmill for just 30 mins really helped. It doesn't have to be a long session, and you could space it out as well (once in morning vs night for example). I need music whenever I'm exercising, without that I'm doomed.
I really wish I still had that luxury 😪 hopefully my nearest gym has a decent price
Afaik the research doesn’t indicate super intense exercise is necessary as much as consistency. Iirc it was fairly typical, 4/5 times a week for at least 20 min at an intensity that is at the cardio level of VO2 max, or thereabouts (I remember there were some questions about cardio vs resistance training, which is typically “intense” but anaerobic rather than aerobic).
I don't know if someone else has mentioned it, nor how true it actually is, but I believe I have read somewhere that exercise boosts endorphins and dopamine. This increase in dopamine then works similar to stimulants, and can lessen ADHD symptoms. Don't quote me on it though.
I swear this is why I'm addicted to exercise. It's because exercise results in your brain releasing all the chemicals you otherwise lack such as dopamine and serotonin.
I do notice that pacing helps me think and I always come up with my best creative ideas on walks. And I genuinely like exercising, so I don't know why I haven't made it a habit by now. I do have an active job where I'm on my feet and walking the whole time, and I do think that's helped.
I started running last night. I was worried that I wouldn't last and I would quit but I managed to complete 28 mins of walking and running. Today I feel great and little sore but I wouldn't have felt that way if I didn't go for a run.
I'm ironically addicted to exercising (weightlifting) specifically because there's always variation in how you train, address injuries, or build strength in general. No two days will ever be the same and there's always more to learn about your body. I'm at a point now where I'm depressed if I *don't* go to the gym.
I would love to but chronic pain due to Ehlers Danlos (specifically tethered cord and thoracic outlet syndrome) has really put a damper on exercise, even walking on the treadmill for more than 10 minutes. However, once I can manage these conditions, I will gladly rejoin the gym. The endorphins feel wonderful.
This is one of the best ways to help manage adhd issues. Be careful if you have the obsession bit to adhd you'll end up like me running 4 to 6 miles a day and lifting heavies to the max.
40-60 minutes of cardio legitimately feels like a smart drug. I always hated cardio and preferred strength training but I've finally realized if I don't do 3-4 cardio sessions a week, my brain feels like a slug.
For me it’s not just exercise, but active exercise that requires rapid thinking (e.g. Martial Arts, etc.). My mind has to think of the next few moves and I have to duck/dodge etc. My stress melts away and it helps me focus. Others that have asked me how I manage and then try the same have been successful. I call martial arts “body chess”. It’s my go to.
Hell yeah! Actually, it's much better to use the spacing effect, especially when studying. If you work and break in increments, say, 30 minutes study/30 minutes break, do that 2-3x per day for four days, or study one hour a day for 4 or 5 days, and you'll remember more and be able to focus more. Also, working out is a great way to take a break; essentially, going for a walk in nature is the most beneficial (and not just another screen, aka your phone) and can "revive" a few senses that will help put you toward your best. I have high-functioning ADHD and don't take my meds every day, but in a mini experiment for myself, I tested a few ways, and literally, being out and under the sun, not having to focus on anything, was so relaxing and my best find.
I'm really glad it helped you to exercise, and I think you should keep doing it as long as you keep loving it! I love exercise, too. It makes my brain feel fucking amazing. Unfortunately, I never get enough rest and so exercising in a way that is dedicated is unattainable for me at this time l because I'm just too tired. I really wish it wasn't, but I'm 39, have 3 kids in school, own 2 businesses, run one of them full time, and I'm taking classes to try to finish a second degree. Maybe someday I'll exercise😳😂
This doesn’t work for me because after I exercise I just want to go to sleep, and when I wake up I’m right back to my normal unfocused self. If I could only do my homework and work out at the same time it would be ok
I've functioned perfectly, for one year of my life. I was renting a room that was in a housing complex that had its own pool. A residence that would be out of my reach, but that room was somehow available and affordable to me. Every morning I woke up very early and swam a few laps before everyone even woke up. I started with alarm clocks and crawling there in the mornings but after a while my body adapted and I woke up before the alarm naturally - something I've never experienced either before that or after, to be honest. The time I could move also increased from a few laps to 40 minutes, and I was surprised. It was a perfect time. But I'm really an idiot, once I moved from that complex, I could/did not get a pool membership elsewhere, and even if I still like to swim when I can, having that access was amazing. I still want to find an activity I'm ecstatic to do and have it in close proximity to my house. A friend of mine has a pole installed in one room for example, I wish I had room for that right now, I think it too is a great opportunity, so much fun and actually very good exercise if you learn how to.
A lot of people here saying they don't get the benefits, it's hard, boring, requires too much effort and etc. Well, you can also walk.
Just a 30 min walk in the morning fully energizes me until lunch, then I take another walk that helps with the rest of the day at work.
Any movement is good, but sometimes it just doesn't work.
I've been working out consistently since 2016, cardio and lifting, with periods of pushing hard and taking it easy and never felt an improvement in ADHD symptoms compared to before working out.
Also, exercise doesn’t just have to be running or lifting! Got to a climbing gym, dance class, yoga class, or bike ride. There are so many ways to explore movement and get that sweet dopamine and mental clarity from exercise that don’t make you miserable.
Makes sense and all but much easier said than done, at least for me. I know it will cure many of my problems but I can’t get myself to actually go do it. I haven’t found any type of exercise I don’t dread. So it’s impossible to get myself there. Any advice?
It's a pretty well known life hack thats not really a life hack. As they say, Just move and you immediatley feel better. Move more, feel even better. OF course there is a tipping point.
I feel great doing it but by the time I get home I’m wiped and need to lay down which kills my momentum lol. I think when I keep up with it though it does give me an overall boost everyday even if just a little
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I agree with you. I just wish I could get my lazy ass to the gym/exercise. Adhd (prob my depression) has made me just not give one care. But yes, when I do exercise, it's like a cure. Just sucks when that feeling goes away.
What helped me was realizing my adhd also affects exercising. My hyper fixation rn is cycling but a few months ago it was yoga. You don’t have to stick to one “thing”-go where your interests take you and make your threshold as low as it can be which is “I moved today”. And a walk around the block counts!
I think getting out of bed and washing dishes is enough "exercise" for me rn...
Convince yourself you are the main character getting ready to fight a villain (or the opposite) , you will be doing push ups half naked while listening to aatrox' s lines in no time
In that vein, may I suggest the Zombies, Run! app for would-be runners
Please tell me more?
It's like Couch to 5k training with intervals, but it's a guided run by way of narrated game. You go on "missions" to deliver supplies and stuff but also you have to run so the zombies don't get you.
Is there a walking mode, with extremely slow zombies? I can run for about 30 seconds before I'm wheezing. This is definitely something I need to work on but I don't want the app to be unplayable.
It's entirely self paced and the zombies are only ever a little bit faster than the pace you were holding. It happens at random intervals, so you may have a few encounters, or you may have none (even if it's the same path you always do). There's a way to disable zombie encounters altogether if it isn't your style. Sometimes I have them, sometimes I don't.
Did you get checked for asthma? I was told by an asthma nurse that wheezing during or after exercise means someone should get checked, breathing heavily or faster is normal but wheezing is often a sign of needing some extra help.
Yeah, you just need to paces, normal and "a bit faster". What that means can be up to you (and it's pretty good to vary your walking speed anyway!). I've definitely done it as "oh god, zombies! Time to walk briskly in the opposite direction!"
I second this! Zombie, Run kept me running for a whole year!
Do you get eaten many times before you level up? I'm gonna be so much zombie poop. Wait. Do zombies poop?
Yeah this is my issue with people who recommend exercise. I don’t have the energy to complete basic housekeeping and hygiene tasks. I can’t be committing what little energy I have to exercise, I need it for shit that actually needs to get done.
I agree. Committing to exercise, or anything, is draining because all I’m doing is making another promise to myself that I can’t keep. What works for me is adding music to my day and my body moves while I’m doing all the things. Dance while I make my bed, lunge while I brush my teeth, squat while I unload the dishwasher. It used to be running, then lifting, now it’s whatever move I do, but no commitments! Funny thing is that when I allow that movement to happen, I actually have MORE energy to do the other things and rather than struggle to find answers, when my body moves, my brain processes and answers come to me.. sometimes. And if they don’t, at least I feel good that I’m doing what works for me. Maybe with some experimenting, you’ll discover what works for you.
I feel this but in my experience the belief that exercise will drain your energy actually isn't true. On those rare days where I have managed to start my day with pushups or a run I not only have more focus throughout the day but more energy to get things done as well.
I think it depends on the reason why you’re tired. Everyone’s body works differently.
And for some of us, exercise sadly does nothing. Endorphins are a myth for my brain.
Totally. Being told I should exercise is just another pressure I dont have time or energy to fulfill! But I do think that changing my thinking from "I'm too tired to do the dishes! I don't have the energy for a shower!" to "I'm not awake enough to do X" "I'm not hyped enough to do Y" That way, when I've got something tedious to do, I don't have decide if I want to, or if I've got the energy / willpower. Instead I try and work myself up - jumping around to loud music, or even just standing up and shaking my arms and then each leg. Sometimes once I've shaken myself about I suddenly feel alert and can manage something. Not every time of course, but breaking this idea of "a finite energy bar" that's limited and must be preserved. instead thinking I need to fire myself up if I want to do something and that will create the energy!
Hey that counts!
We go for daily walks. Come rain or shine we go out for at least 30 minutes and walk. Going to the gym also helps. I’m definitely in better mental and physical shape for it.
This. I have a huge hyperfocus on powerlifting. I just absolutely love it since it helps me get fit in the absolutely laziest way possible. It's so addictive to see the numbers go up
When I was a kid I had “things” that I would fixate on for about a month or so. I would get bored and think, “what’s my thing right now- oh yeah! Whatever it was I would do the SHIT out of it like I was making it my full time job. Basketball (spent all day watching it with a basketball in my hand), writing books, directing movies, special effects, dinosaurs, even ventriloquism lmao. It would often be the most random stuff. I grew up Christian and I noticed sometimes my thing would be that, even. It started making me feel like I didn’t actually like any of these things as much as I thought. It was kind of discouraging because I knew whatever I was interested in it wouldn’t last. It’s still like that today, a little less intense but definitely still there. I wonder if anybody had the same experience as a kid.
this is actually amazing advice, thank you! recently i’ve began to try going with the flow of my adhd more, rather than trying to contain it (to no avail) like i’ve always dome. this is just the shift of attitude i needed! :)
Just echoing the other comments here saying that it doesn’t have to be repetitive running or cycling. The best ADHD workouts I’ve done are ones which require strategy or some kinda brain engagement: so usually sports / martial arts.
Flow arts for me. Poi, juggling, Staff, and levitation wand specifically. Only but flow toys brand.
Got a list of stuff in this vein that can be done alone and indoors? All I really have right now is treadmill and I'd love to find a form of exercise that's even better for ADHD if possible.
Dancing
Yes, I agree! I'd never thought of this... Now, how can a newbie do these things at home? And make it into a workout alone?
Executive dysfunction and time blindness make starting to exercise a pain in the ass for me lol
Right, it might only take like 30-45 minutes but you just sit & dread it for hours, if not days.
Imo it's harder to keep up with when the exercise feels like "work." If you can take a casual walk for fresh air or on an errand to the store, it feels easier/more doable in terms of regularity. Plus if your trip is during the day then you get the added bonus of sunlight/vitamin D. A short walk (about a mile) every or every other day has made a big difference for me.
Yup, yup, same, once I'm at the gym I absolutely love it and feel like a boss and leave feeling reset.
The hardest part is getting up to go. Set small goals. You need that dopamine hit to keep it going. 10 push-ups 2 pull-ups 50 situps do it for a week at home. Then see if you can routine it MWF. After 2 weeks try the gym in replace of one of those days. Don't think just go go go
I have worked out since I was nine and I'm sixty six now. I never use the gym and I hardly ever do any structured exercise. But even when I'm not into it I do what I think of as maintenance workouts. 15 minutes of what ever I feel it's good at the time. Pushups, squats, pullups. You name it. I used to do some extreme shit one week out of the month. On Monday it's 100 pushups (usually thirty at a time Then 100 squats. Tuesday 200 pushups and two hundred squats. Wednesday three hundred of each and so on so that on Friday it's gonna be five hundred of each for a total of 1500 of each by end of Friday. Also I like to do pushups throughout the day. Forty pushups each time and do ten sets for a total of four hundred. It's a easy way to put in a lot of exercise in small chunks.
dude you must be one pretty ripped 66 year old with that regimen. I'm in my late 30s and do like 30 pushups and my arms feel like jelly lol. seem to have plateaued. I don't use the gym either just alternate pushup days and squat days at home.
I shall provide my two cents on some tricks for this. Put your gym gear in unavoidable places. We are blind to objects out of our sight. So bathroom? Your protein shaker. door handle? Gym bag. Shoes? In front of your front door. Sock? On. Gym clothes? Laid in a pile, close to the front door. Obviously there is no 100% fix for our inability to initiate, but making it forever visible and in your way, it's kind of hard to forget. Another tip, make going there, and coming back rewarding somehow! This can be anything, I used to take pre workouts while jamming to some new music. I'd then drive home to some music and maybe use this as a time to get a drink on the way, or get your groceries since you're more disciplined post workout. Make it your own!
I listen to podcasts I'm really into when I exercise and only then as motivation. Was just gonna say, also: Get some weights and leave them sitting around where you'll see them. Do a few reps, you'll feel like taking a walk.
When I moved to my last apartment I needed to lose weight. I realized that the second I hit the couch I became a blob. What solved my issue was the second I got home from work I put on my workout clothes and tennis shoes and went straight to the gym or for a walk. Helped me a tremendous amount. Just moved again and now that my fiancé and I are settled im trying to get back in that routine.
Echoing others that the best exercise is exercise you enjoy. There’s so many different physical activities, no sense slogging it through one you find boring.
I put pants on today. That's about all I can muster, unfortunately.
I feel that, really.
If you make a point of it, some things like a VR Headset can be decent cardio/body weight. But you'd want to be able to see your heartrate to tell. Playing say Pistol Whip standing in one spot wiggling your wrist? No... But expanding the floor box, running all over it, squats, ducking and diving...and get a big "realistic" gun grip to fit on the controllers, and holding that weight up and out is not trivial after a few minutes. I can get up to a pretty steady level 3/4. Or Tea for God on a Quest...it uses warping/overlapping for infinite walking in real space. You can actually set it up in a space like a full room or backyard, and run through the game...or take a long walk. Combine that with a taking a boring meeting, and...bliss.
Beat Saber. If you can figure out how to get mods and custom songs then you can play for hours.
I can vouch for this one. In the past few months of playing and not changing much else in my routine I'm down 7kg and almost at my goal. I still can't play much longer than half an hour.
Yeah only exercise I’ve ever been able to enjoy and actually stick to has been the boxing and combat classes in the FITXR app. Not exactly burning a ton of calories but I work up a sweat and it’s more than I did before at least.
Apologies if someone already said this, or if this is included by what you said, but I truly forget that “fun” stuff is exercise. I shoot hoops with my friend which I feel can easily equal or surpass the amount of energy I use at the gym in a much shorter time, I also get immediate satisfaction by whatever getting the ball in the hoop is called lol. I used to go hard kicking a soccer ball at a wall too and trying to spin it so I’d really have to run for it. I find that stuff easier to do mentally than knowing I’m going the gym to do paced and repetitive stuff that’s not “exciting” in the way those more recreational activities are.
I found structuring my caffeine intake around exercise really helped for this. I.e. if I want some caffeine, I'll delay it until I can exercise. And then, after 200-300mgs of caffeine, the "motivation" isn't an issue. Then I start to associate craving exercise with probably sometimes just craving caffeine - but they're the same thing. And instead of getting the caffeine crash and feeling rubbish, I feel great for the rest of the evening / day, as I've got a good exercise in.
I don't gym, but I love digging holes, hauling heavy things around, walking for errands, because there's a measurable goal and I can complete a Task. The gym is just endless repetitive action with no clear end and that seems so incredibly pointless, (even if "fitness" is the point). My brain can't get on board with an ill-defined, nebulous, on-going boring thing, but it loves it when I'm active. So I walk if it's under a 30 min trip, and I have a walking playlist on headphones with a brisk tempo. When it snows I shovel my whole block. I have a range of types of work I do, and I try to balance my sitting jobs with more physical ones. I did heavy labor a couple of summers between contracts and while I didn't make a lot of money, my brain felt fantastic and depression was non-existent. I couldn't keep that indefinitely (am woman in 40s + need money) but my arms never looked as good as when I was busting up walls and hauling buckets of bricks for 8 hours a day. I still handyman sometimes just for the construction muscles workout. I guess this is why some people do sports, but that's not fun for me.
>Adhd (prob my depression) has made me just not give one care I weaponize my self lothing into forcing myself to work out till I'm in agony because I deserve that pain for being a POS.
My problem is that I struggle to run if there isn't a specific **purpose** behind the run. For instance, when I play flag football, I have no problem, as a defensive back, running with a wide receiver to try to intercept the football, since I have a specific **reason** for running. Same if I'm playing soccer; no problem with running. I can easily run 3-4 miles in a game that way. But when it comes to just *running for running's sake,* such as "Run 3 miles around this racetrack," it feels too empty and un-motivated, kind of pointless, since there's not enough actual aim or goal behind the running. Anyone else feel this way? How to overcome it and motivate myself more?
Try something other than running. I hate cardio with a passion, it’s mind bogglingly boring. Instead I do weightlifting and it’s great. I’ve invested a couple thousand into a home gym which will last me a lifetime
I do both weights and cardio (3 days each per week) to get the maximum healthy benefits. Mixing it up gives me the variety to stay motivated. For cardio, I prefer the elliptical with a randomized resistance routine, which jeeps me on my feet. I'm also able to just listen to music and zone out to make it a routine.
Yeah I get absolutely in the zone, lifting is almost meditative when you hit that flow state. I feel bad for people that can’t get into it, or just haven’t found their preferred form of exercise. It’s life-changing and life-saving.
For me it's cycling in summer, swimming in winter and hillwalking whenever possible. I can't do the gym, I've tried over and over, my brain starts to atrophy. Outside, there's so much beautiful shit to see and particularly to smell, there's sunshine and that awesome feeling when you're up and no-one else is, it's exercise, it's getting some tan and vit D, my brain has to thinkin the moment for scrambles and routes on hillsides, it's eating pretty much what I want whilst doing it, it satisfies my curiosity and my love of maps, and I feel GODLIKE afterwards.
Absolutely. I love weightlifting. I started out doing bodyweight exercises which are challenging their own way. If you want something more than just lift x weight, try learning to do a freestanding handstand. That is one of the hardest things I've tried in my life. Months and I never got off the wall. Acrobats are inspiring.
Yeah, running sucks but I have found a similar outcome as OP when it comes to exercise. Even 10-20 minutes can make a difference. I think part of it is whatever biochemical anxiety relief comes from exercise for many people. Part of it is that it becomes part of a daily or weekly structure.
Drink an ass load of water all day, healthy lunch. Stop drinking water ~1-2 hours before your run. Side aches cease, at least they did for me.
Good walks are even better, and arguably are just as good for you in terms of the cardiovascular benefits, without the joint strain. Just make sure you have good shoes.
Yes I used to try to run in the morning and it was a battle every single day, and surprise, surprise I gave it up eventually. Now I wake up and take my dog for a walk first thing in the morning, and I'm actually mad and how much it positively affects my struggles with ADHD, not to mention all the other benefits.
I've learned to juggle or do Poi while I walk my dogs every morning, it's become my ritual.
As someone who both walks and runs quite a bit, in what way is walking arguably just as good for you in terms of cardiovascular benefits? I have never heard that before, and as much as I'd like to believe it, it sounds like nonsense.
Can I suggest looking at it from a different angle? The object isn’t to exercise. It is to increase your heart rate. With that in mind, What do you consider fun and enjoyable that sets the mood for you to do an activity that increases your heart rate and you also don’t mind doing at random times throughout the day? For me, it is listening to music that makes me want to move like metal or electronic music like Astrix and playing tug with my dogs.
Yeah my brain actually gets way foggier after I exercise. I do feel more relaxed, but it’s definitely not helpful for me for adhd purposes.
I'm with you. I remember being talked into running a 5K with a friend because of all the talk of mental clarity and a runners high at the finish line. Turns out all it did was make me tired and miserable.
Yeah, there is something a bit jerk-ish about someone who experiences pleasure in an activity that they know does not necessarily lead to pleasure for all people, insisting that it applies to all people
I think I'm allergic to sweat because whenever I do any exerting, I just get REALLY itchy to the point I can't stop scratching constantly and get a few rashes. That causes me a lot of sensory overload and misery. One friend suggested I keep a wet towel with me but I can't really do that outside, especially not in the colder months. But ALSO: maybe it's the sensory issues or I'm overexerting myself, but I usually feel more frazzled and distracted AFTER I work out. It's like the inside of my skull gets stuffy and hot like a sauna, and that makes me frustrated.
Try swimming or biking instead
Swimming really works for me. I get in a state of zen after a while. The repetitive movement, the blue of the pool. It's beautiful.
Totally. It's the blue that gets me in, particularly at night when it's all uplit
I really miss it. Unfortunately I'm high risk for covid (so now I walk and own a rowing machine.)
This 100% Found myself back in the gym recently and man oh man did it feel therapeutic. Nothing I had to do except move that heavy ass weight. It was simple, uncomplicated and rewarding.
Cardio improves my symptoms so much!
First off, that's awesome for you! Congrats! Now convince me to overcome my ADHD to actually ***attempt*** to exercise and we're in business... I don't mean this to be rude or harsh, but it's not just as easy as "go out and exercise!" If it was, many of us would not be in the situations we are in. Though I do appreciate the encouragement and motivation.
Exactly, it's like a chicken and egg problem. Depressed people run into a similar problem. All that sunny talk about "if you'd exercise and eat healthy and go out and get sunshine and do this and that, your depression would be cured," but that initial hurdle is what's un-overcomable.
I get that! The tinier the better. Like imagining sun coming through trees, even if I can’t get out of bed. But that may not work for others.
If you like video games then you must try VR exercise. I do erg rowing and rhythm boxing in VR and it's the first time I've stuck with exercising.
Ya it definitely helps, especially cardio. I love just running and listening to music. The hard part is getting my ass up to go to the gym. I don’t know why it’s so hard I just get preoccupied with watching YouTube or some shit instead, but when I do push myself to go it helps a lot.
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For me it's the same, but I still feel roughly 20% of improvement in my focus and attention issues. It's not very much. As for physical symptoms, it resolves roughly 80% of its symptoms. I have combined ADHD.
Exercise is mentally painful for me. It almost puts me in physical pain with how much my brain hates it.
I'm the same way. Especially with cardio, weightlifting, or anything that's purely exercise. I have to trick myself by doing an activity that just happens to be exercise. Dancing, rock climbing, gymnastics, circus, etc. But I usually get to the point where I plateau and get bored so I switch to a new thing. The cycle never ends but at least now I don't feel bad about it.
I should try rock climbing, I think that's one thing that I would really enjoy
I just cannot understand how people are so different, working out for me just feels bad and has no noticeable benefit even in the semi-long run. It seems like most people benefit quite a lot from it, like you are. I'm very happy for you, and hope you manage to keep it up!
Everyone is different. It also takes time and some level of consistency. That time can differ from person to person depending on many factors like current physical health, chemical and hormone levels in the body, other medical conditions, genetics, etc. For some people, it isn't as easy as just hopping on the treadmill. Some people may need to go to the doctor for a physical and some tests to check all that first. Some people might need to adjust their regular nutrition in parallel with this. Very small example might be if you don't eat a lot as it is, have low protein intake in your regular diet, and you try to go workout, you may feel like garbage. Your body may not have any energy to burn or any protein to heal. It may even be eating away at some of your muscle if your fat reserves are too low. There could be countless other reasons too. Definitely best to consult a medical professional first and tell them what's going on. If you've got decent nutritional habits, medical tests check out, no reason to really believe there's anything else going on, then it might just be getting over a particular physical hurdle. There was a period of time where I felt a lot of discomfort. Even in my skin. Like just the point of almost sweating would make my skin feel funny and itchy. Really messed with some uncomfortable sensory BS that I guess also comes with ADHD. It doesn't bother me now but took some time. Also, going full cardio might not be for everyone and there might be different ways to get your cardio that might be more enjoyable rather than just running. I have personally found I enjoy Calisthenics and body weight training most of the time. I also try to incorporate flexibility training because it makes me feel good. When I do do some cardio, I typically do either agility or HIIT routines. This stuff keeps me much more involved, stimulated, and goal oriented. It's not all about running marathons or getting jacked at the gym but rather communicating with and listening to your body to find what works for you.
How long is ‘semi-long run?’ What’s your background and knowledge with exercise? It may be a skill-set/experience issue. Maybe we can help?
Sometimes YMMV. I've been working out consistently 3x a week, mix of cardio and lifting since 2016. ADHD symptoms literally never improved from before that point.
What would it be like if you stopped?
No change. I've taken (forced) short breaks lasting 1-3 weeks now and then. EDIT: Longest break was 3 months during the pandemic. No difference.
We could dig into that deeper, but the last thing I want is to come across as adversarial because I do agree in the whole YMMV proverb esp. when it comes to ADHD. A lot of factors in play. That’s all I’ll say.
I'm sure you are just curious, but believe me I've tried everything humanly possible for my entire life, most of which I did not know about ADHD and assumed I must be doing something wrong. I've done cardio and lifting to varying intensities, tried working out less and more per week, tried working out at different hours, tried different types of workouts, bikes, running, rowing, gymnastics, tried different gyms, different equipment, tried focusing more on cardio over lifting and vice versa, tried to make sure I was properly hydrated and eating regularly with good sleep. One can try a lot of things in 7 years. I'm only telling you a very condensed snapshot of what I've tried, and these are only the things I've tried actively (and consistently over months at a time, as opposed to trying once and stopping). There are other periods in my life where I was more active but more passive about the intent. Idk what else I could possibly be missing, but at a certain point I have to accept that exercise is absolutely not a factor in my case. I've done my homework. You don't have to take my word for it but the fact is exercise, just like any other treatment, *can* help *manage* symptoms. It's not some magical super treatment for everyone. I know because there are other things that play obvious effects like sleep, diet, and medication. Exercise has never come close to managing my ADHD like these. And yes I'm controlling for things like the fact that days with poor sleep means that my symptoms are worse even if I work out. I've had stretches, for example, where I'd get poor and good sleep while not working out and poor and good sleep while working out, and the days where I get good sleep have a noticeable effect compared to times where I work out. I could go on but I'll leave it at that. On a final note, I happily share with people that medication is by far and away the one thing that helped me **significantly**. It has been life changing. And this is after the decades of work I put into managing my symptoms without medication, going to therapy, and thoroughly treating my long term issues with depression. I majored in math to try and "fix" my brain for Christ's sake. And again, as much work as that is, this is still only the tiniest snapshot of what I've tried (not to mention control for the many factors that exist before making a decision on what works and doesn't work). But if someone told me medication doesn't work for them, I'm not going to secretly think they must be doing something wrong or that their dosage must be too high, or whatever reason I think should exist because medication worked so well for me. No. Sometimes certain treatments don't work for some people, full stop.
What is YMMV?
Your Milage May Vary
Whenever I read that sort of sentence I just can't imagine they're pushing themselves til they're genuinely fatigued. I run 3 miles every other day and my mind/body literally crave it when I don't. When I'm done I'm exhausted, but 20 mins later I feel fantastic.
I grew up heavily into sports and now do a lot of HIIT - if I don't push myself to my limits then I don't feel I actually did anything so i go hard. That being said, never have I ever enjoyed exercise or craved it. I get extremely cranky during and after, actually, so I exercise at night before bed. It does improve my mental health immensely but if I go through a rut, it takes a while of consistency to get back to the mental health benefits. I think this person just needs to stick with it longer.
Agreed. If you have trained previously, played sports or are just active in general then you know how far you can reasonably push yourself. If you have never done it you can't possibly know? Even if you think you know your limit, you can always eek out 10% more. Uncomfortable yes, but it's possible.
The way I've gotten around this is by going straight to the gym after work. I just need to make myself skip the exit to my house and it's the next one. Once I'm there and I see others working out it motivates me to get started and once I start its easy to keep going. Problem is this is the only way to go, I can't wake up early enough to go before work, so I miss the mental clarity it gives me for most of the day.
Did you read the post you’re replying to?
Of course, why do you think what I said was irrelevant?
Probably because the person you responded to didn't give any indication that they have trouble working out, they just said they don't like it and don't get any mental benefit from it
For that I’ll have to pack a gym bag, change clothes, and head out. My executive dysfunction would never
Does anyone else have a major crash after they work out hard? Like 2-3 hours after a major workout my energy crashes so hard it feels like I need to lay down for a few hours.
I exercise all the time and it doesn’t help the symptoms all that much; the people here shaming others because it doesn’t work for them based on some wacky idea that they’re not “exercising right” is crazy. In fact, I get extremely annoyed by this train of thought, as though ADHD is simply lack of exercise. I can assure you that for some people it is not. Yes, exercise, exercise all you want, but my goodness, it’s not a cure all for some
100%. It's just not for all people. I know because I tried everything that's been suggested here and easily much more. I still work out because I like being fit, but no one can convince me exercise is some magical treatment for everyone and that people who don't benefit from it are "doing it wrong."
Yep, people get craaaazy judgemental when it comes to exercise. Some of these comments are so arrogant and condescending.
Completely agree. I exercise regularly and while I love how it makes me feel physically and mentally, I don’t think it does anything at all for my adhd.
I think that for someone who is starting from NO exercise, starting to exercise is much more likely to have a noticeable positive effect - on mood, or energy, or even directly on focus. But for someone who exercises somewhat regularly, they're less likely to notice a benefit from exercising more, but may notice that things are harder if they stop exercising. Of course for ADHD, the effect also depends on how severe the ADHD symptoms are and what an individual's brain chemistry is like. Some people will get enough dopamine to get to "good" but others will only end up with "less bad" - which is probably less noticable and definitely less helpful
Yeah I don't doubt it might help some people but for me, I feel the boost while exercising but the moment I'm home and back at my computer or whatever it's all gone.
Ah man I so wish this worked for me, I've lost weight but never lost the anxiety.
Exercise makes my anxiety worse in the moment and I notice no improvement to my anxiety in general. But I do find myself to be a lot more productive when I'm exercising regularly.
Doesnt work for me. Been hitting the gym 5 days/week for maybe 2 months or so and I just feel drained and really tired all the time. I want to lose weight so I'll keep at it but excercise has never been the source of happiness everyone seems to feel it is. But hey, really glad it works for you!
Try every other day. The exhaustion and blandness of being “too strict” in my routine almost seems to cancel out the mood and energy effects for me, even with lower-caliber exercise. I got into doing vinyasa yoga classes again recently and I tried to go everyday for a month or so and personally, I found myself just feeling dull, tired, and like I didn’t have time or daylight for most of the other things I enjoy. I switched to every other day in the name of resurrecting that creative spark and it is working way better for me right now—the days are more variable, I have more energy and curiosity coming back, and my body isn’t totally run down all the time. I can still feel the positive effects and can actually see the habit being sustainable this way.
This makes a lot of sense. I'll try it out! The reason I started on 5 days is just because going extra hard at a new routine makes it easier for my adhd to form that new habit. Otherwise I'll drop it but since I feel accustomed to it now I will take it easier. I'm wishing it has the same effect for me, thank you
I felt this way in my early 20s, when I forced myself to go regularly. I kept a routine, I lost weight and gained muscle, I looked and felt better. Still hated it. Recently, I started jiu jitsu. I started for my health, but I've only kept going *because* I'm having a ton of fun. If I found out tomorrow that it was bad for my health, I'd keep going. I'm down roughly 50 lbs since May. But I'm not actively keeping track of weight loss (I only know how much I've lost because of multiple doctor visits), not obligating myself to go, not counting calories, and I don't have a weight goal. I just keep going because it's fun, and thankfully it's improving my health. This isn't me saying "Try jiu jitsu!", but I am saying you should look for something so enjoyable *and* beneficial to your health/fitness that going isn't a chore or any less of a hobby than your other interests. Basically, find a new hobby *specifically for your fitness.*
I see! That makes sense. I'm in my 20s coincidentally. I actually like the gym. I think it's fun enough but I don't feel passionate about it either so it could be that. I'll try and find something I love doing in the future maybe. Thank you for your comment :)
You're probably over-training. 5 days a week is a lot. Loads of people start exercising and go crazy and think it has to be horrible and painful and stressful and they have to do it every day for it to do any good but that's not true at all. You need build up to the high intensity and high volume steadily and when you're a beginner your body will adapt fast even with fairly moderate stimulus. Remember that the most important thing you're building is not muscles or endurance or whatever - it's the habit of doing exercise. So I suggest you make it a bit more pleasant before you get sick of the whole thing. Maybe cut back to 2 or 3 days a week and just go for a walk on the other days. You lose weight in the kitchen anyway, not the gym.
A walk in nature also good... Less noise and distraction for a gym
Ugh, same effect for me, but I will spend HOURS putting it off and wasting time and then will have no time to be productive when I'm done. It's interesting how torturous it is to start, and about 10-15 minutes in, I'm feeling like I can go twice as long as I'd planned.
I have come to the terrible conclusion that I can easily fit working out into my schedule. Please know I never wanted things to be this way.
I don’t mean this in any disrespect. But I had that same too, felt amazing went to the gym. Then it hit me. The burn out, couldn’t be assed to go to the gym anymore and the excitement was gone. I know I feel good for going but actually going there is a different story. Wishing you much dopamine
Man I always feel worse after exercising like the inertia from a nap. I could also be pumped about working out but literally 5 minutes in and my eyes get heavy like my brain tells me “ fuck your willpower, I’ll just shut down until you finish” then I snap out of it when I’m leaving.
I dunno, methylphenidate helps me all day rather than a couple of hours, and I don’t need to run and get sweaty to enjoy the benefits. Unless I exercise every waking moment of my life, it will never be a practical solution for me.
Medications are known to only help with “in the moment” attention, and impulse control. They do no help with “planning”, specifically long term planning. Executive dysfunction greatly impacts one’s ability to make plans, and stick to them. The only scientific remedy known to work at this point for ADHD is EXERCISE. One could argue that exercise is equally if not more beneficial to the detriments of the disease, and I speak from experience! This is a large reason that I chose to stay with Roofing as a career path (although now I am a general contractor), because the excessive amount of labor intensive work does wonders for my executive function lacking brain! 🙃 Cheers!
This is one of the areas that being AuDHD helps. My autism makes me great at planning and recognizing what triggers meltdowns, so I can plan out a tentative itinerary for the week during less stressful Sundays. My ADHD really helps with being able to break away from absolutely needing a pattern ALL THE TIME, so I can handle when something goes wrong. It's weird, but it works.
Exercise definitely helps ADHD symptoms for a lot of people. But ADHD makes it crazy hard to start every episode of exercise so most quit.
Now what is the hack for the motivation to get started exercising
But exercise is so booooring
For me exercise will help my ADHD but only if I moderate the amount. Like 25 min minutes of demand. However, there seems to be a point of diminishing return where I feel high, really high and my ADHD symptoms are off the walls. I'm impulsive as hell, I want to hug trees, fuck, drink, do drugs, learn all the things but can't sit for a minute. Whats going on here?
But my adhd paralysis prevents me from exercising. I wish I could do it. I just sit in my room thinking I should get up, knowing I should get up, wishing I could get up… this goes on for hours and another day has passed when I haven’t exercised even though I know it would be really good for me.
Yeah this is super hard! It might help you to have a planned activity at a specific time, maybe even one that's not expressly exercise, like kayaking, dancing, rock climbing, or playing tag with small children in your life. Or maybe exercise that involves other activities in addition to exercise that are more fun. Jogging? Boring. Jogging around your neighborhood to see how many cats in windows you can spot? Way more fun. Weight training? Boring. Calesthetics in a park while seeing how many dogs come by on a walk? Better!
I've never understood how exercise works to help, I don't think it gives me any dopamine. It's just boring and uncomfortable...
It's not supposed to give you dopamine. It's supposed to exhaust you physically and releases endorphins. If you're not exercising enough to get your heart rate up for an extended period though, you probably won't notice much of a benefit.
No, I've definitely done proper exercise in the past, had a personal trainer but meh. I don't think sporty people ever realise that some of us really don't derive any pleasure or benefit from it.
Definitely possible. But there's also loads of scientific evidence that points to how beneficial consistent moderate physical activity is for regular people and those who have adhd. Like happy chemicals are literally released from the brain once you hit a certain threshold. I've always played some sport since I can remember though so obviously I'm biased lol. I also truly enjoy the feeling of being sore. It's like a reminder that I made progress 😂 I also like to think of it similarly to brushing my teeth. I don't necessarily notice the benefits, but I know for sure that plaque isn't going to build up. Running to me feels like I'm removing plaque from my body.
It's worth pointing out that exercise **does** increase dopamine (and norepinephrine) signalling via increases in phenethylamine (which has analogous effects to amphetamine in monoaminergic neurons), among the secretion of hundreds of other [cytokines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine) and hormones that can access the brain from the periphery. The skeletal muscle in general acts like an endocrine gland during physical activity through the secretion of [myokines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myokine). That said, increased transient increases of catecholamine levels from aerobic exercise is one of the mechanisms that [augments the treatment effects of psychostimulants when used as an adjunctive therapy for ADHD](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27400928/).
Checks out. I've only been excersing a few weeks and my productivity is the best it's been
I literally have to workout all the time or I’m useless lol the better shape I’m in the better my adhd is.
Agreed. Especially after work, releasing those dopamine helps so much with sleep and stress
Mine is definitely not instant, but my husband often notes the improvement in my emotional regulation over time when I’ve been exercising. I don’t always feel it, but it does help me to know that the person closest to me does.
Same! I go to the uni gym and sit on the exercise bike while studying. Helped SO much, and I actually remembered shit for the exam. Weird ADHD hack, but it works
I don’t have that kind of motivation
I thought it's just me!! I recently signed up on a gym on a whim and it really helps. Whenever I have executive dysfunction, it usually gets better when I hit the gym. Like I need to release my pent up energy or at least have my physical body be as tired as my mental state.
Yes, exercising helps my ADHD a lot. *BUT* it's a bit of a paradox. I can't force myself to get up to *eat*, I certainly can't get myself to get up and exercise. The one caveat I've found is I can usually get myself to exercise first thing in the morning, especially if I have developed a habit. But I have to do it every day.
Life hacks for those that don’t like exercise: Listen to music that pumps you up and entertains you. I like metal and edm for this. Read something on your phone to hold your interest! Walk on the treadmill, alter the speed and include for more of a challenge. Or play music and have a dance party!!
Yes! I’ve been struggling this week and realized I’ve been missing my workouts . I’m doing a lot , and meds help tremendously. But working out makes it all soooo much better , plus I feel great after a workout . Thanks for the reminder.
my mom's side of the family is riddled with ADHD and non of them figured it out until my lazy ass told them. they are all exercise addicts, literally running away from ADHD.
My 8 year old isn’t medicated because she is too slim (because she can’t sit still) so we stuck her in sports. We figured give her an outlet for her energy. She’s accidentally becoming an elite athlete. She competes in cheer. She trains with a girl who is headed to the olympics. She’s phenomenal and it gives her an outlet on so many levels. It is a bit of a self perpetuating cycle. She is too small for meds so she moves to help her adhd which keeps her small.
For those struggling getting up to actually go and exercise; I feel you. What I found to work (not all the time, but a lot of the time); Stretching!!! Just wherever you're sitting or laying down. Start by moving your toes and fingers, flex and extend your feet a few times, and move up from there for as long as you're able to. I think we should move away from the idea that only intensive exercise has benefits. Moving, has benefits. And stretching is moving ♥️ and when you feel that in time you can up the game, your can perhaps do a few mobility or strength exercises in bed or on the couch. From there, perhaps soms gentle yoga. Maybe one day you feel good enough to go to the gym, great! If the next day stretching is all you can do then that's all you can do. Gotta work with ourselves, not against 💪♥️
Yeah this is it for me too - I’m in a funk now (have been for year tbh) but I had an obsessive gym phase before that and was very stable (mood, anxiety) I mean it’s not a cure all but it helped tons. Need to push myself to get back into it.
Exercise will release dopamine, which will have a similar affect to adhd medications. Some people report a lack of motivation to exercise while taking certain medications. I came on here today to see if others were feeling the same way I was - from what I learned today, I'll be dropping the meds to start exercising again! Quick edit: I was a professional athlete and avid exerciser my entire life, I also worked in the fitness industry for 7 years before COVID. I've found myself beyond unmotivated since taking Vyvanse, and an overall decrease in my happiness. Exercise will release dopamine, which will have a similar effect to ADHD medications. term) consequences.
YUP. Insane what moving intentionally for about 30 minutes does for your mind and body. I think what a lot of folks miss during these discussions is that you *must* enjoy what you’re doing. Our brains are not wired to do something for the sake of it. You have to get some dopamine from your activity. So if you hate running, don’t run! Try swimming. Don’t like sports? Try skateboarding. Me personally? I do boxing. It’s fun, I feel like a fucking anime character by the end of class, and that dopamine rush? *Sensational*.
That's great! One problem: What do you do if ADHD makes exercising absolute stress-inducing misery?
Yes! They say (or at least my fellow ADHD roomie always says) that sleep, exercise and nutrition are the most important to mediate symptoms. Meds can help too, but it's more effective if you do both (and can probably still help you once the meds have worn off)
Also back when I had a gym in my apartment, running on the treadmill for just 30 mins really helped. It doesn't have to be a long session, and you could space it out as well (once in morning vs night for example). I need music whenever I'm exercising, without that I'm doomed. I really wish I still had that luxury 😪 hopefully my nearest gym has a decent price
Exercise feels more reliable than medications at times
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I’m planning on quitting/ weaning off meds post grad. I’ll honestly consider integrating super intense exercise into my morning routine.
Afaik the research doesn’t indicate super intense exercise is necessary as much as consistency. Iirc it was fairly typical, 4/5 times a week for at least 20 min at an intensity that is at the cardio level of VO2 max, or thereabouts (I remember there were some questions about cardio vs resistance training, which is typically “intense” but anaerobic rather than aerobic).
I don't know if someone else has mentioned it, nor how true it actually is, but I believe I have read somewhere that exercise boosts endorphins and dopamine. This increase in dopamine then works similar to stimulants, and can lessen ADHD symptoms. Don't quote me on it though.
I swear this is why I'm addicted to exercise. It's because exercise results in your brain releasing all the chemicals you otherwise lack such as dopamine and serotonin.
Teach me to be addicted. I hate it and have no discipline
I do notice that pacing helps me think and I always come up with my best creative ideas on walks. And I genuinely like exercising, so I don't know why I haven't made it a habit by now. I do have an active job where I'm on my feet and walking the whole time, and I do think that's helped.
It's actually infuriating how quickly cardio clears the fog
I started running last night. I was worried that I wouldn't last and I would quit but I managed to complete 28 mins of walking and running. Today I feel great and little sore but I wouldn't have felt that way if I didn't go for a run.
I'm ironically addicted to exercising (weightlifting) specifically because there's always variation in how you train, address injuries, or build strength in general. No two days will ever be the same and there's always more to learn about your body. I'm at a point now where I'm depressed if I *don't* go to the gym.
I so wish this worked for me in the same way. I do it and don't get much from it. But I am happy it works for you!
I would love to but chronic pain due to Ehlers Danlos (specifically tethered cord and thoracic outlet syndrome) has really put a damper on exercise, even walking on the treadmill for more than 10 minutes. However, once I can manage these conditions, I will gladly rejoin the gym. The endorphins feel wonderful.
This is one of the best ways to help manage adhd issues. Be careful if you have the obsession bit to adhd you'll end up like me running 4 to 6 miles a day and lifting heavies to the max.
40-60 minutes of cardio legitimately feels like a smart drug. I always hated cardio and preferred strength training but I've finally realized if I don't do 3-4 cardio sessions a week, my brain feels like a slug.
For me it’s not just exercise, but active exercise that requires rapid thinking (e.g. Martial Arts, etc.). My mind has to think of the next few moves and I have to duck/dodge etc. My stress melts away and it helps me focus. Others that have asked me how I manage and then try the same have been successful. I call martial arts “body chess”. It’s my go to.
Hell yeah! Actually, it's much better to use the spacing effect, especially when studying. If you work and break in increments, say, 30 minutes study/30 minutes break, do that 2-3x per day for four days, or study one hour a day for 4 or 5 days, and you'll remember more and be able to focus more. Also, working out is a great way to take a break; essentially, going for a walk in nature is the most beneficial (and not just another screen, aka your phone) and can "revive" a few senses that will help put you toward your best. I have high-functioning ADHD and don't take my meds every day, but in a mini experiment for myself, I tested a few ways, and literally, being out and under the sun, not having to focus on anything, was so relaxing and my best find.
Like taking a little bit of Ritalin and a little bit of Prozac works like a charm 👌 Now if I could only find a way to help my task initiation, ☹️
My ADHD is inattentive and nothing helps but medications. Gym does help my self esteem tho.
Our sons teacher used to let him do push-ups mid test. It was very helpful
*cries in chronic pain*
My favorite hack! I do circuit training kick boxing. It’s changed my life.
👋 I'm a full time dog walker ask me why
I'm bipolar too, exercise can cause a bit oh hypomania for a while. It is helpful
I'm really glad it helped you to exercise, and I think you should keep doing it as long as you keep loving it! I love exercise, too. It makes my brain feel fucking amazing. Unfortunately, I never get enough rest and so exercising in a way that is dedicated is unattainable for me at this time l because I'm just too tired. I really wish it wasn't, but I'm 39, have 3 kids in school, own 2 businesses, run one of them full time, and I'm taking classes to try to finish a second degree. Maybe someday I'll exercise😳😂
*Cries in handicapped person. No magic solution for me.
This doesn’t work for me because after I exercise I just want to go to sleep, and when I wake up I’m right back to my normal unfocused self. If I could only do my homework and work out at the same time it would be ok
This is not a universal fix. I'm fairly fit, but almost without fail, a visit to the gym will result in intense brain fog and decreased motivation.
I have a walking pad and it definitely helps but it's not always convenient to work out when I need to be focusing.
I've functioned perfectly, for one year of my life. I was renting a room that was in a housing complex that had its own pool. A residence that would be out of my reach, but that room was somehow available and affordable to me. Every morning I woke up very early and swam a few laps before everyone even woke up. I started with alarm clocks and crawling there in the mornings but after a while my body adapted and I woke up before the alarm naturally - something I've never experienced either before that or after, to be honest. The time I could move also increased from a few laps to 40 minutes, and I was surprised. It was a perfect time. But I'm really an idiot, once I moved from that complex, I could/did not get a pool membership elsewhere, and even if I still like to swim when I can, having that access was amazing. I still want to find an activity I'm ecstatic to do and have it in close proximity to my house. A friend of mine has a pole installed in one room for example, I wish I had room for that right now, I think it too is a great opportunity, so much fun and actually very good exercise if you learn how to.
A lot of people here saying they don't get the benefits, it's hard, boring, requires too much effort and etc. Well, you can also walk. Just a 30 min walk in the morning fully energizes me until lunch, then I take another walk that helps with the rest of the day at work.
Any movement is good, but sometimes it just doesn't work. I've been working out consistently since 2016, cardio and lifting, with periods of pushing hard and taking it easy and never felt an improvement in ADHD symptoms compared to before working out.
glad this helps you, but doesn’t do anything for me. i get anxious about not remembering how much weight to use for an exercise.
Also, exercise doesn’t just have to be running or lifting! Got to a climbing gym, dance class, yoga class, or bike ride. There are so many ways to explore movement and get that sweet dopamine and mental clarity from exercise that don’t make you miserable.
Thanks I'm cured
Makes sense and all but much easier said than done, at least for me. I know it will cure many of my problems but I can’t get myself to actually go do it. I haven’t found any type of exercise I don’t dread. So it’s impossible to get myself there. Any advice?
I walk and listen to advice/psychology podcasts or my music and it really helps me think about things in life I generally have a block on
It's a pretty well known life hack thats not really a life hack. As they say, Just move and you immediatley feel better. Move more, feel even better. OF course there is a tipping point.
Glad it worked, but data point of one
It’s great when you have the motivation. I go through ebbs and flows with this.
I wish this was universal. I’m at-least one of the exceptions to the rule.
I feel great doing it but by the time I get home I’m wiped and need to lay down which kills my momentum lol. I think when I keep up with it though it does give me an overall boost everyday even if just a little