How to avoid the vicious cycle of inactivity and low mood

How the vicious cycle starts

When you do less, you may have less energy and feel less motivated. These changes can make low mood worse and stop you from getting better.

Similarly, if you stop doing basic tasks at work or home, your to-do list may begin to pile up.  As the list grows, you may feel overwhelmed and start to feel guilty or like a failure, which makes you feel worse.

So we can see how less activity can lead to more depressive symptoms a vicious cycle.

Reversing the cycle

One way out of the vicious cycle is to do more, even if you don’t feel like it to begin with. You should try and do more of the things you enjoy but research shows that doing basic day-to-day activities can also give you a sense of achievement. This, in turn, helps you feel better. Of course, you need to be realistic, so it’s ok to start small and build up to bigger tasks in time.

Doing things helps you feel better

Doing things, even a little at a time, can give you a sense of achievement. You may even find enjoyment in the day-to-day activities you do. For example, something as simple as showering or doing the dishes can give you a feeling of moving forward and help your mood improve.

Being active helps you feel less tired

Moving your body, in any way that works for you, can increase your energy over time. Even short bursts of movement, like a 15-minute stretch or another light activity, can give you an energy boost, so it’s perfectly okay to start small.

Activity can help you think more clearly

Once you get started, you may find that you see problems in a different way and your thoughts may become clearer.

So, as we’ve seen, one way to start to feel better is to do more. In psychology, this is called behavioral activation.