The Best Type Of Exercise For Your ADHD Brain
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You probably have something specific in mind when you hear 'exercise'. And it probably involves gym equipment or doing things like pushups and situps. While... yes... those are definitely exercise, there are types of exercise that we often forget about entirely. Things we might actually be doing and not realize we're actually exercising. In today's video, I talk about my experience with exercise, what types of exercise there are, and what works best for the ADHD brain.
(Research links TBD!!!!)
Comments (14)
EDS has destroyed my body and I've had to stop skating and all the other physical fun things I used to do. However, horse riding is something I can still do. I sometimes need help managing the "on the ground" part of horse care but once on board it frees my body. And horses are my mental health happy place.
Strength training improves my emotional state!
Really striking how many of us have hypermobility and chronic pain. I’ve read that’s a thing with ADHD. Throw in perimenopause and you get inflammation to make it worse! Being ADHD is being a walking-talking-rebuttal to the mind-body split.
My experience is exactly what you stated here, the best workout is the one I do. I have tried so many things, cycling, swimming, volleyball (a disaster, if I ever saw one) , all kinds of dancing - I got hooked on aerial dancing for years, but sadly it is not always accessible and it can get expensive. So the most often one I'll do is power walking. It's not running but I'm definitely getting my heart rate up and it has been so useful. A lot of days I wake up and I have such intense brain fog that I cannot decide what to have for breakfast even. On those days I'll just wear whatever I grab first and take a walk, and after half an hour my head is much clearer.
Thanks for sharing your exercise journey and tips. I soooo miss running for the meditative / mindfulness / flow aspect. My joints won’t anymore.
Hypermobile here. I’m working on building support for my joints after a long period of not exercising so I can go harder without injury. I’ve found that even 10-15 minutes of walking on a treadmill makes a huge difference in focus ability. For joint support, slow reps within a limited range of motion have been really effective for building strength. Finally, somatic work like feldenkrais and primal movement have helped make movement feel enjoyable, not punishing. It’s a new, more connected relationship with my body. I’ve been a runner, swimmer, dancer, yoga and Pilates nut… and this is the best I’ve ever felt! It’s really true—slow and steady will take you far!
Thanks! I just found there are 2 Feldenkrais instructors in my city so I will check it out. Physio and Osteo are not enough bc I think posture issues and habits undo my progress.
A few years before my diagnosis (in my 40's), I started learning judo, and then kickboxing. I'm calmer and better focused when I am consistent, and notice the difference if I miss a session or two. I'm also among other ND people at both. 🙂 Years ago I did power yoga and loved it, but I can't sit through relaxing, meditative yoga styles. I also love running, and I usually play Zombies, Run! when I do.
I have chronic pain and hypermobility so exercise is something I instinctively want to avoid bc it causes flare-ups and I can pull muscles more easily. This is very frustrating bc the treatment for my chronic pain, ADHD, and anxiety IS to exercise more. So I logically understand the usefulness of implementing more into my routine, but man I hate it lol
Oof, yeah, the chronic pain + adhd + exercise cycle can be a difficult one already on its own, hypermobility just adds to that. I'd feel super frustrated too!
I know we are supposed to share success but mine is failure and without a solution right now. I need higher intensity movement and exercise to feel "ok" with my adhd. I had an early morning routine that worked with before kids and with 1 kid, but with 2 kids my mornings are now focused around spending time with them before work and before their school. This extends to while they are younger and want to spend time with me. This completely broke my morning exercise (running) for adhd routine. For a couple years it worked when they were running stroller sized/aged, but they have both outgrown that now. I have tried the night time run after they go to sleep but I don't have enough hours in the day and energy left in the tank. I have not found a solution yet, sigh.
Kids. Get it. When my kids were younger I incorporated them into my exercise - co-created a toddler sports club (basically a structured small group play date) organized around a theme so built novelty and playfulness in for me plus keeping up with them. I got to be a kid again and get a workout. In one class the theme was round. We chased bubbles to see how many we could burst, played with soccer balls, did things in circle formation (with music of course). Another friend used to do an after dinner dance party for 15-20 minutes as part of the routine and before clean-up. Their son LOVED it. Mornings can be madness but maybe you could create a short wake-up routine that involves movement like jumping jacks and burpees to get your appetite going before breakfast? If you can incorporate exercise into your commute (biking to drop them off then biking to work or bussing them to drop-off then running back…). Basically incorporate the bits you can in and around your existing routine.
Long cardio and intervals help me stay on task and with my awareness of the passage of time. High intensity cardio helps me cut out repetitive thought loops because I can’t think of anything except surviving. Lifting hard cuts my frustration level. Yoga and meditation conditions my ability to let go of thoughts or or maintain focus and to stop judging things too quickly.
Do you base your choice of work out around how you're feeling or do you kinda use a feeling as a trigger to go do the workout you find that helps you best to deal with it? I'm so curious!! I love how you found something that worked for different needs!