Mental Health Benefits of Exercise Postpartum
The emotional and physical recovery postpartum can be a challenge for many new moms. From struggling to get enough sleep and physical pain to the learning curve of motherhood and postpartum mood disorders, there are many factors that impact the wellbeing of mom and baby. There are plenty of ways to support mom, including consulting experts in counselling, postpartum doulas, lactation consultants and more, but there is one area that tends to be overlooked: exercise.
While it’s important to always consult with your doctor or midwife prior to starting an exercise routine, more studies are now encouraging the benefits of exercise starting early in postpartum, once your medical professional clears you. It’s also important to take everything at your own pace and prioritize self-care activities that best support your unique needs.
Benefits of Exercise
In many cases, postpartum workout and fitness advice focuses on losing baby weight, or in some cases addressing concerns like diastasis recti or pelvic floor concerns. Often the feeling that you need to exercise postpartum can come from a place of stress and societal pressure, and that’s the last thing you need as a new mom. At the same time, it’s important to have tools that help you cope with the challenges of postpartum and beyond.
A recent study has found that 120 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity in the initial 12 weeks postpartum can reduce the risk of postpartum depression by up to 45 percent.
Now if that sounds impossible, even light exercise like a gentle walk has benefits for physical healing and mental health. Even “daily activities of living” like cooking, cleaning or taking care of baby, count as light exercise. While the guidelines may seem challenging, any movement is better for your mental and physical health than no movement.
This new study also focuses on other areas that can improve mental and physical health postpartum, and another key area is sleep. We know sleep is hard to come by postpartum, and so these strategies aren’t necessarily about getting more sleep, but rather improving the quality of sleep you get, even if it’s only a couple of hours at a time. Physical activity is a key to getting better sleep, which can improve your mood and make it easier to manage the day-to-day stresses of being a new mom.
Steps to Start
Talk to your care provider first - always consult your doctor or midwife prior to starting an exercise routine.
Start small - don’t aim for 120 minutes of moderate intensity exercise right away. Start with small amounts of light exercise and work your way up. If you feel you can add more intensity, great! If not, know that everybody recovers at a different pace. Follow what your body needs and what your care provider recommends for your unique situation.
Ask for help - It’s not easy getting time for yourself as a new mom. If exercise is important to you and is something you want to prioritize, ask for help to create space for you to take a walk or engage in your preferred activity.
Consider your motivation - if exercise is one more thing you have to do or it becomes a burden, try stepping back and engaging in self-care or coping strategies that feel more supportive.
Seek out experts - if you are concerned about your mental health please reach out! You can book a free consult with our team here.