Does excerise actually make you feel better?

[Adûnâi]

because while I'm exercising I have nothing but more time to be inside my head and think of everything wrong in my life and in the world. Whenever I walk or run, all I do is ruminate without distraction about everything that sucks so hard.

It's physical pain that becomes mental pain because my mind is left without distractions too long, leaving it open to becoming depressed and sewer slidal extremely easily~ plus, it's hard to feel nice-looking after because you're all sweaty~ >_<

Can't you be listening to a podcast or music when exercising? To clarify... my experience with exercising started (and ended? xd) this year (2025), I destroyed two stepping machines in Feb-March, then my mom brought me a bike machine, and I tried to do it for a bit in July and/or early August. It was pretty boring and pointless. I did start taking my phone in the end, but stopped before investigating if it would help.

No, I didn't feel better at all doing it. What the normies might be referring to is working on your goal - which does indeed feel like achieving something. But exercise is not exactly an achievement, it's just a meaningless number, and in the best case the bodily results only become apparent after months.

Meanwhile, yesterday I spent 3 hours sweeping the floor, and the results are unmistakably clear immediately.

 

[Dejected 55]

Can't you be listening to a podcast or music when exercising?

If I'm outside, I don't like being less aware of my surroundings. When inside, I do play music, but that doesn't stop me from thinking and focusing about all the bad things. There's literally nothing else you can do while exercising than think.

 

[Iamatiredlad]

It is kind of half a physical thing and half a mental thing. Like your body releases endorphins which should make you "feel good" but I don't really know how true that is. I just think it's more so a mental thing where when you exercise, you're still doing something to move and improve yourself, no matter how small it is. So in that sense, it is something you can and should be happy over. Though as other posters mentioned; motivation can vary from day to day

 

[MapleS]

for me streaching works
I guess it releases tension
and going anywhere make me feel better

 

[Higurashi415]

Depression (and other mental illnesses) often fucks with the dopaminergic system, so if you struggle with that it's by all means NOT going to make you feel better in the sense that most people say it will. That been said, it WILL make your body function better and it will usually help you regulate both hydration and food intake (and personal hygiene)

As for me, I can't say I feel better after doing it per se nor that it helps with depression, but it does help me in pretty much every other way. I was treated much worse when I was skinny and underweight, people were bumping on me on the street much more often and treating me with less respect in general. All in all it's a positive.

 

[woofwag]

Really depends on what I do, the type of day I'm having, and my mindset. I have POTS, so most cardio is hell (although I still force myself to do it). But lifting? I love lifting. I love the feeling of being sore and the feeling of pushing through that last set till failure. I love doing it knowing I'm working toward a body that will be more comfortable for me physically and emotionally. I struggle with body dysmorphia and am recovered from orthorexia and subsequent anorexia, so I do have to be careful about it. But when it works, it really works, and it feels like progress.

That being said, sometimes it does make me miserable. If I'm having a bad day, am doing it only out of hatred for my body or the world around me, already feeling disillusioned with life, or having a POTS episode, it can make it a lot worse. Sometimes something as simple as the amount of light can ruin it for me. I love nighttime lifts the most because no one else is at the gym and it's quiet and dark. Same reason why I love walking at night. Less hot, less people, less light, less noise. Better for me to talk to myself lol.

Also diet is really important when working out. I feel like shit if I eat like garbage/don't eat after working out. When lifting, ya gotta eat a protein-heavy meal within a minimum of 2 hours of a pump if you want to help your muscles recover so you can maximize growth. I used to be quite the gym rat before my current bout of depression haha. It feels nice the more you do it and figure out what works for you. Try not to give up on it just yet. I know for me personally, I'm walking to the gym tomorrow to restart my membership :)