High-intensity exercise treats depression as effectively as do cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and medication, according to a new study that found combining SSRIs, a type of antidepressant, with exercise improved depressive symptoms more than medication alone.¹

The systematic review and meta-analysis led by a research team from the University of Queensland, Australia, found that the more intense the physical activity, the more effective it was at managing depression. More specifically, vigorous exercises (e.g., running, interval training, strength training, mixed aerobic exercise) reduced depression symptoms in participants more than light physical activity (e.g., walking and hatha yoga), although the latter did provide some benefit.

These findings emerged from examinations of 218 randomized controlled trials, including 14,170 participants diagnosed with depression, to determine the effectiveness of exercise, psychotherapy, and antidepressants in treating depression.

When the researchers narrowed their analysis by demographics, they discovered that strength training and cycling positively impacted more women than men, and yoga or qigong provided more benefits to men than women. Yoga appeared more effective among older adults, and younger adults received better results from strength training. The duration and frequency of exercise did not affect the results.

The study also suggested that men appeared to benefit more than women from combining yoga, Tai Chi, or aerobic exercise with psychotherapy. Yoga and aerobic exercise combined with psychotherapy seemed more effective among older adults.

Participants gained the most benefits from group classes or scheduled exercises. The more autonomy participants had over their exercise programs, the weaker the outcome. “When provided with more freedom, the low self-efficacy that is symptomatic of depression may stop patients from setting an appropriate level of challenge (e.g., they may be less likely to choose vigorous exercise),” the study’s authors wrote.

The researchers cautioned that definitive conclusions are impossible to draw, and more studies are needed. “Our review did not uncover clear causal mechanisms, but the trends in the data are useful for generating hypotheses,” they wrote. “It is unlikely that any single causal mechanism explains all the findings in the review.”

“Exercise should be considered alongside traditional interventions as a core treatment for depression,” report author Michael Noetel, Ph.D., said in a press release. “No matter how often people exercised, whether they had other health issues or how severe their depression was, in all scenarios, exercise had a meaningful impact on their depression. Of course, anyone getting treatment for depression should talk to their doctor before changing what they are doing, but most people can start walking without many barriers.”

Exercise and Depression

Members of ADDitude’s reader panel confirm several findings from the study published in The BMJ (British Medical Journal).

“Strenuous full-body aerobic activities like boxing, karate, swimming, or boulder climbing help me get my thoughts in the right place and boost my mood and energy,” one panelist wrote. “Physical activity also helps me fall asleep and feel less stressed overall.”

“Running helps with my anxiety and depression,” another reader said. “It’s like a vacation for my overstimulated brain.”

A recent retiree who goes to the gym six days a week for group fitness classes and strength training sessions with a personal trainer shares that physical activity helps him feel calmer and more focused. “Exercise gives me a sense of accomplishment and community,” he says. “It is truly my second medication.”

Exercise Benefits Children and Teens with ADHD

The benefits of physical activity are not limited to adults; exercise improves the mental health of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including ADHD, learning and motor disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability, according to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics.²

The researchers found that high-frequency (more than 27) 40-minute sessions of physical activity significantly benefited cognitive function, psychological well-being (e.g., self-esteem, quality of life), internalizing (e.g., anxiety and depression), and externalizing (e.g., aggression and disruptive behavior disorders) behaviors in children and adolescents aged 5-17 years with NDDs. They examined 59 studies with more than 3,000 participants.

ADDitude caregivers recognized similar results from their children after participating in physical activities.

One reader takes their son to the YMCA at least three times per week. “Depression can really take hold of my 10-year-old son,” the parent said. “We see great improvements after physical activity. He enjoys the elliptical, rower, spin bikes, automatic stepper, and treadmill.”

“My daughter has been playing hockey since she was young,” a reader said. “She says she can slow her brain down when she’s on the ice and think more clearly, and it’s as if her ‘ADHD evaporates.’”

“Intense cardio activities, like cross-country skiing and soccer, help my son burn off some of his boundless energy, and he gains self-confidence by being good at something nonacademic,” a reader said.

Another reader said, “My oldest is a distance runner. He is committed and gets up early to run his miles or workout. Running gives him that needed dopamine hit to keep his ADHD symptoms under control at the start of the school day.”

Incorporating Exercise in Depression Treatment Plans

A 2023 treatment survey of 11,000 ADDitude readers reaffirms both studies’ findings. Roughly half of the respondents who use this treatment rated exercise as “extremely” or “very” effective. A staggering 94% of caregivers and 95% of adults recommend exercise to treat ADHD symptoms. Yet only 13 % of these respondents said a doctor had recommended exercise to reduce symptoms, and only 37% of all respondents said physical activity was part of their treatment plan.

The BMJ study encourages clinicians to consider exercise a viable alternative to drug treatment or adjuvant for those already taking medication. “The findings support the inclusion of exercise, particularly vigorous exercise, in clinical practice guidelines for depression,” they wrote. “This may help bridge the gap in treatment coverage by increasing the range of first-line options for patients and health systems.”

Sources

¹Noetel, M., Sanders, T., Gallardo-Gómez, D., Taylor, P., del Pozo Cruz, B., van den Hoek, D. et al. (2024). Effect of Exercise for Depression: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. BMJ. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075847.

²Liu C, Liang X, Sit CHP. (2024). Physical Activity and Mental Health in Children and Adolescents with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6251.

Writing the Story of You

Sometimes, New Year’s Resolutions feel a lot like masking. Like shearing off our roundness to fit a square box. Like trying to live up to others’ expectations of us — again.

What if we approached 2024 differently? What if we saw this New Year as an opportunity to try new things in a risk-free environment of experimentation and self-exploration? What if we allowed ourselves the freedom of a growth mindset and suspended our self-doubt long enough to assume success? Doesn’t that sound much better than counting calories and steps?

If you think so, download this free calendar to find 31 neurodivergent-friendly ideas — one for each day on January 2024 — for re-establishing joy in your work, home, and relationships, plus your mental and physical health.

Remember: “Most systems for planning and organization are built for neurotypical brains. You must create your own ‘owners manual’ for your ADHD brain.” — William Dodson, M.D.

EXERCISE: What types of exercise will improve my ADHD symptoms, according to research?

A: Aerobic exercise creates new pathways in your brain and floods it with the chemicals that help you pay attention… | Keep reading on WebMD »

BRAIN ACTIVITY: How can I understand the neurological effects of exercise on my ADHD brain?

A: Everyone agrees that exercise boosts levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. One of the intracellular effects of these neurotransmitters is to improve the prefrontal cortex’s signal-to-noise ratio… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

MINDFULNESS: Can mindfulness meditation or yoga improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: When a muscle is weak, you can make it stronger with exercise. In the same way, mindfulness strengthens your brain’s ability to… | Keep reading on WebMD »

MEDITATION: How can I start practicing mindfulness when I have ADHD?

A: Introduce mindfulness to your day by taking few minutes to recognize what the mind and body are experiencing. This can be done in meditation practice or briefly in the course of your daily activities… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE: What lifestyle approaches can help me manage ADHD symptoms?

A: ADHD doesn’t only affect attention; it impacts the whole self. Integrative medicine is a treatment approach that addresses symptoms and promotes general health and wellness… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

FIRST-PERSON: “It’s OK to Be Not OK, According to Mindfulness”

“With my swirl of anxiety and ADHD, I find myself often confused, nervous, down, and insecure. Mindfulness teaches me to expand my observation and accept this reality, simply because it is my reality.” | Keep reading on ADDitude »

RELATED RESOURCES

FREE DOWNLOAD: ADHD Health & Fitness Guide

You can’t change your DNA. But you can change your health and fitness choices, which may improve ADHD symptoms. | Download now on ADDitude »

FREE DOWNLOAD: Mindful Meditation for ADHD

Mindfulness can boost your focus, diminish your stress, and improve your impulsivity. Learn more about this powerful (and simple) alternative treatment. | Download now on ADDitude »

8-Part Guide to ADHD Treatment in Adults, from WebMD x ADDitude:

DECISION 1: How should I approach my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 2: Should I treat my ADHD symptoms with medication?
DECISION 3: How can I address the side effects associated with ADHD medication use?
DECISION 4: How should I integrate nutrition into my ADHD treatment plan?
> DECISION 5: How should I integrate exercise & mindfulness into my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 6: What therapies should I integrate into my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 7: How and when should I adjust my ADHD treatment plan for optimal benefit?
DECISION 8: How should I adjust my ADHD treatment plan if I have comorbid conditions?

NATURAL TREATMENT: What natural treatments are proven to benefit ADHD symptoms?

A: Some natural remedies may ease some symptoms. Others have little effect. Among the proven therapies are… | Keep reading on WebMD »

NUTRITION: What dietary changes could improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: There’s no clear scientific evidence that ADHD is caused by diet or nutritional problems. But certain foods may play at least some role in affecting symptoms… | Keep reading on WebMD »

SUPPLEMENTS: What vitamins or supplements could improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: Besides being good for heart health, omega-3 fatty acids improve symptoms of ADHD, including behavior, cognitive skills, and focus… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

CAFFEINE: Can caffeine improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: A few studies have looked at how caffeine can affect ADHD, but the results have been mixed. Caffeine is a stimulant, but… | Keep reading on WebMD »

DIETARY BALANCE: How can I better understand the way nutrition affects ADHD brain functioning?

A: Research indicates that healthy eating supports a healthy ADHD brain. At the same time, science tells us that ADHD symptoms significantly impede and impair individuals’ ability to make positive choices around food… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

BRAIN FOODS: What foods should I eat (and avoid) to improve my ADHD symptoms?

A: Carbs affect brain function and mood. The rate at which sugar from a particular food enters brain (and other body) cells is called the “glycemic index.” Foods with the best brain sugars include… | Keep reading on ADDitude »

FIRST-PERSON: “I Keep My ADHD Symptoms Under Control By…”

“Watching what I eat helps. I function better when I eat healthy foods like lean protein, veggies, and fruits instead of processed foods.” | Keep reading on ADDitude »

RELATED RESOURCES

FREE DOWNLOAD: ADHD Brain Food: What to Eat, What to Avoid

Research shows that protein promotes alertness in the brain. Carbohydrates do the opposite. And artificial colors and flavors are even worse. | Download now on ADDitude »

FREE DOWNLOAD: ADHD Vitamins and Supplements

This guide outlines ADHD-friendly vitamins and supplements — like iron, zinc, and magnesium — that may help common ADHD symptoms. | Download now on ADDitude »

8-Part Guide to ADHD Treatment in Adults, from WebMD x ADDitude:

DECISION 1: How should I approach my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 2: Should I treat my ADHD symptoms with medication?
DECISION 3: How can I address the side effects associated with ADHD medication use?
> DECISION 4: How should I integrate nutrition into my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 5: How should I integrate exercise & mindfulness into my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 6: What therapies should I integrate into my ADHD treatment plan?
DECISION 7: How and when should I adjust my ADHD treatment plan for optimal benefit?
DECISION 8: How should I adjust my ADHD treatment plan if I have comorbid conditions?

We asked ADDitude’s innovative readers what tricks they have up their sleeve to avoid the powerful pull of the couch and embrace exercise. Here’s what they said:

“I purchased a treadmill and put it in front of the TV. If I want to watch TV, I have to walk on the treadmill for at least 15 minutes.”

“I signed up for a workout class with a friend.”

“Finding someone local to go on a walk with can be a game changer, especially if you explain that you need support getting out of the house). Having the other person to help me “task initiate” is brilliant.”

[Read:Take It Outside! How to Treat ADHD with Exercise]

“When I put a load of laundry in, I do a yoga or walking video until the washing machine buzzer goes off. I get in exercise and feel productive.”

“I just got a VR (virtual reality) headset and am super into one of the fitness games in it. I don’t even realize I’m working out.”

“I tricked myself into liking the gym by getting a “black card” which gets me access to a hydro massage chair! I work out, I get a massage.” 

“My creative solution: accountability and competition. I don’t want to exercise, but I do want to keep my promise to play tennis with my friend (and I also want to destroy him).”

[Watch: “How to Leverage Sports Psychology to Benefit ADHD Brains”]

“Committing to just the warm-up portion of a video exercise helps. I usually feel like doing the rest once I’ve warmed up.”

“I have finally, after years of wanting to, got into doing yoga regularly —every single weekday morning. I’ve identified the barriers, and tried to address them. Number one is:  I have to work out straight away, as if I do anything else, my meds kick in and I’ll get focused on it too much.”

“Sign up for an intramural sports team. That way, you have people counting on you to show up to practice and for games.”

Workout Motivation with ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: 6 ADD-Friendly Tips for Starting and Maintaining an Exercise Program
• Download: Free Guide to Health & Fitness — Lifestyle Changes for Adults with ADHD
• Read: Exercise and the ADHD Brain -— The Neuroscience of Movement

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

For Seidel, that something is a late-life diagnosis of ADHD, along with comorbid obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders.

“This Is Never Going to Get Easier. And That’s OK.”

It took Seidel years, and a lot of work, to figure out how to manage her conditions, and to find the self-care systems and strategies that are most beneficial for her. She likens this work to her training as a runner, and emphasizes that both are ongoing.

“I think a lot of people assume that I’m a lot more naturally talented than I actually am at this sport. I’m really not,” she said, emphasizing that her success is a product of hard work and dedication. “It’s that consistent, day-to-day work that has translated exactly into my mental health, my realizing that it’s OK that I’m going to have to work at this every day… I also have to wake up every day and brush my teeth, and I’m not expecting that if I brush my teeth enough, I’m never going to have to do it again.”

Seidel’s sharp understanding of herself and what she needs to be at her best every day echoes the advice of Dawn Brown, M.D., a sports psychologist and ADHD specialist who recently hosted the ADDitude webinar, “How to Leverage Sports Psychology to Benefit ADHD Brains:”

“We should adapt to how our brain, our minds are created, meaning we have to find accommodations and strategies that are in line with how our ADHD brains respond to performance and productivity,” Brown said.

Though Seidel has developed effective methods for managing her mental health conditions, she says their impact on her life is far from static. “There are times where these things are very manageable for me,” she shares. “And there are other times when it takes over my entire life.”

Mindfulness and Other Self-Care Strategies

Mindfulness is the lynchpin of Seidel’s daily routine. “I operate on a very high-strung, very over-stimulated level, and I struggle with coming down,” she said. “Being able to decompress, come down from that, [by using] various breathing and calming techniques has been absolutely vital for me. That is something that I have to do every day, multiple times a day.”

Mindfulness, she said, “is about really focusing on lowering the temperature in the system and lowering the breath rate…so that I can come back to almost like a baseline level.”

Mindfulness, like other relaxation techniques, is part of optimal mental performance conditioning — “what great athletes practice,” according to Dr. Brown.

Recovery and Structure Outside the Track

What happens outside her running shoes is just as important for Seidel’s overall mental health and performance, she said.

“I need to have stuff outside that I’m working on,” she said. “Being able to have some sort of structured time and structured assignments is really mentally healthy for me.” Seidel is pursuing an MBA through DeVry University’s Keller School of Management. “It’s nice having something else outside of running to focus on.”

Another important self-care lesson Seidel has learned as a professional athlete: Healing — both physical and mental — is not a luxury, but a necessity. “Recovery is a huge part of my job,” she says. “And I’ve found that it is just enormously helpful for what I do, and for being able to manage not only just life, but a higher level of training.”

Athletes and Self-Care with ADHD: Next Steps

• Read & Watch: “Maybe I’m Not Just Thoroughly Messed Up:” Olympian Molly Seidel On Her Late ADHD Diagnosis
• Read & Watch: “Athletes are Real People with Real Mental Health Issues”
• Webinar: How to Leverage Sports Psychology to Benefit ADHD Brains
• Read: Olympians, Professional Athletes, and Sports Legends with ADHD

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

In a study of 5 million adolescents and adults from Sweden, researchers found that having any mental health condition increased the risk for all cardiovascular conditions — and that risk more than doubled for those with ADHD and one or more co-existing conditions. Surprisingly, the greatest risk was in young adults and not in the elderly. While the cause is not yet known (a genetic predisposition is likely), we can now see that the risk is broad and substantial.

How Comorbidities Complicate Heart Health

The incidence of heart disease was 1.8 times higher among people with ADHD than it was in the general population, with cardiac arrest and strokes posing the greatest risk. If a person has ADHD and a co-existing mental health condition, the risk of heart disease more than doubles. For those with substance use disorder, the risk increases 2.53-fold; eating disorder increases the risk 2.75-fold; conduct disorder boosts it 2.79-fold.

The study also confirmed previous findings that men faced higher risk than did women throughout the lifespan.

[Read: ADHD Medication Not Associated with Cardiovascular Risk at Any Age]

Many people want to ignore or deny the seriousness, and even the existence, of ADHD to justify not treating their own and/or their child’s ADHD. The Swedish study should raise awareness and a sense of urgency about the necessity of making good lifestyle choices, such as quitting smoking and substance use, eating healthy, and exercising, all of which have been shown to protect against many illnesses.

Treating ADHD Decreases Your Risk

It is important to emphasize that medication treatment of ADHD and other mental health conditions effectively decreased the risk of heart disease in many cases. The research also emphasized that ADHD and other mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, should be aggressively treated with medication to protect against the well-known risks posed by the conditions.

6 Ways to Improve Your Heart Health

Mitigate the risk for heart disease by doing the following:

• Establish ongoing care with a clinician who can guide you toward a more balanced lifestyle.
• Get a baseline cardiac workup, especially if you’re a young male adult.
• Ask relatives about heart disease in the family. Most of the risk of heart disease is genetic. This can help you to assess your individual risk.
• Exercise regularly.
• If necessary, lose weight on a healthy, balanced diet.
• Use a pill box to assist you in taking all of your medications consistently.

[Read: The Dopamine Deficiency That’s Sabotaging Your Diet]

This new information confirms much of what we already know: People with ADHD and other mental health conditions can lead healthy and fulfilling lives when they protect their health and wellbeing.

Heart Health and ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: Exercise and the ADHD Brain – the Neuroscience of Movement
• Download: The ADHD Healthy Habits Handbook
• Read: The Best Nutrition & Diet Apps for ADHD Brains
• Download: Free Guide to Healthy Lifestyle Changes for Adults with ADHD

William W. Dodson, M.D., LF-APA, is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and one of the first practitioners to specialize in treating adults with ADHD.

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

High-intensity physical activity greatly improves mental health symptoms in adults across clinical conditions, according to a meta-analysis recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Vigorous and short-duration exercises were found to be most effective in improving mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety, compared to usual care.¹

Higher-intensity workouts were found to be most effective at improving symptoms of depression and anxiety — the comorbid conditions that most commonly occur alongside ADHD. Short-term interventions lasting 12 weeks or less were more effective at improving symptoms than were longer-term exercise programs. Outcomes were measured through self-reports or clinical assessments.

Healthy adults, adults with mental health disorders, and adults with chronic diseases were included across 97 systematic reviews. The study found mental-health benefits associated with all modes of physical activity, including strength-based exercises; mixed mode exercises; stretching, yoga, and mind-body modalities; and aerobic exercise.

Exercise, Depression & Anxiety

While positive effects spanned all groups, the clinical effects of different modes of physical activity varied. Researchers found that resistance or strength training had the largest beneficial impact on depressive symptoms.

“Physical activity improves depression through various neuromolecular mechanisms including increased expression of neurotrophic factors, increased availability of serotonin and norepinephrine, regulation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity and reduced systemic inflammation,” the researchers wrote.

For symptoms of anxiety, mind-body modalities like yoga had the greatest impact.

“Physical activity (PA) on depression and anxiety are due to a combination of various psychological, neurophysiological, and social mechanisms,” the researchers said. “Different modes of PA stimulate different physiological and psychosocial effects, and this was supported by our findings.”

High-intensity exercise has also been associated with improvements in sleep — thought to be closely connected to mental health.² For middle-aged or older adults, the long-term effects of too much sleep (more than 8 hours) or too little (less than 6 hours) can lead to death by various causes, including cardiovascular disease. Exercise can help to negate those mortality risks. In a recent U.K.-based population cohort, adults who exercised often greatly lowered their sleep-duration-related mortality risk. That risk was nearly non-existent when adults went beyond the WHO’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per week.³

In the current study, the adults who benefited most from physical activity included generally healthy adults; pregnant or postpartum women; adults with depression; and adults with HIV or kidney disease. Participants included adults aged 18 and older.

Exercise and ADHD

Exercise was rated very highly by people with ADHD in ADDitude’s treatment survey conducted in 2017. More than half of the 1,563 adult respondents rated exercise as “extremely” or “very” effective in managing their ADHD symptoms — which may coexist with and become exacerbated by symptoms of mood disorders like depression.

Exercise was one of the top-rated treatment options among adults in the survey, but only 17% said that exercise came at the recommendation of their doctor. Though it received lower patient ratings, medication was more often used to treat symptoms; patients said they believed medication would have more “immediate” and “consistent” effects. Though exercise promises to lessen some of the commonly reported side effects of ADHD medication — like sleep disturbances and irritability — only 37% of ADDitude survey respondents said physical activity was included in their treatment plan.

The current meta-analysis found that “effect size reductions in symptoms of depression (−0.43) and anxiety (−0.42) are comparable to or slightly greater than the effects observed for psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.”

Limitations & Future Research

The growing body of research on exercise and mental health is promising, but not without its flaws.

Though researchers from the present analysis “applied stringent criteria regarding the design of the component randomized controlled trials to ensure that effects could be confidently attributed to PA,” AMSTAR 2 ratings were a limitation. Of the 97 systematic reviews, 77 received a clinically low score. Those studies were identified as having more than one critical flaw, and three or more non-critical weaknesses.

A meta-analysis published in Nature found many short trial durations, small sample sizes, variable outcome measures, and other potential biases or inconsistencies in studying exercise and cognition.^{4 5} That’s not to say exercise is without cognitive (or social, or physical) benefits, but the research on mental health and exercise requires more validation.

“Organizations committed to public health, such as the World Health Organization or the National Institutes of Health, currently recommend regular exercise as a means to maintain a healthy cognitive state, which based on our findings cannot be affirmed,” they wrote.

The current study acknowledges this, stating: “Patient resistance, the difficulty of prescribing and monitoring PA in clinical settings, as well as the huge volume of largely incommensurable studies, have probably impeded a wider take-up in practice.”

Future research should reflect these limitations and consider ways to integrate conclusive findings into the clinician-patient setting.

Sources

¹Singh, B., Olds, T., Curtis, R., et al. (2023). Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-106195

²Suni, E., and Dimitriu, A. (2023, March 17). Mental health and sleep. The Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health

³Liang, Y. Y., Feng, H., Chen, Y., Jin, X., Xue, H., Zhou, M., Ma, H., Ai, S., Wing, Y., Geng, Q., Zhang, J. (2023). Joint association of physical activity and sleep duration with risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a population-based cohort study using accelerometry. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, zwad060. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwad060

⁴Pollina, R. (2023, March 28). New research suggests physical exercise has ‘little’ mental benefits. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2023/03/28/new-research-suggests-physical-exercise-has-little-mental-benefits/

⁵Ciria, L.F., Román-Caballero, R., Vadillo, M.A. et al. (2023). An umbrella review of randomized control trials on the effects of physical exercise on cognition. Nat Hum Behav. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01554-4

Professional athletes are taught to stay the course during their routine and often grueling training, pouring in every available ounce of energy even when their motivation lags and their bodies hurt. How do they do it? Behavioral strategies of sports psychology help them to focus and prioritize winning. These techniques are also effective for adults with ADHD in their daily lives, and for those who struggle when the newness of a routine or job wears off, resulting in low motivation and poor performance.

Here, Dr. Dawn K. Brown — a double-board certified child & adolescent, adult and sports psychiatrist, and founder of ADHD Wellness Center PLLC and Mental Healthletics PLLC — will explain how to use athletes’ behavioral management strategies to overcome the daily challenges associated with ADHD.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• The Coach’s Playbook: Behavioral strategies to get you back in the game when performance is poor and motivation is low
• Performance Conditioning: Three routines that create the foundation for sustaining focus, managing moods, and completing tasks
• The Essential Meal Plan: Foods and medicine that help optimize the ADHD brain’s performance and productivity

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on Sports Psychology and ADHD

• Download: The ADHD Healthy Habits Handbook
• Read: Olympians, Professional Athletes, and Sports Legends with ADHD
• Read: The Neuroscience of Movement

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on April 5, 2023, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Known as the MD with ADHD, Dr. Dawn was diagnosed with ADHD while completing her child psychiatry fellowship program.  She is the owner, CEO, and sole practitioner at ADHD Wellness Center and has two private practice locations in Texas. She also serves as a psychiatrist for four clinics in Texas and Illinois.

In her podcast, From ADHD to Amaze-Ability, and Facebook Live weekly broadcasts, she seeks to de-stigmatize mental illness and dispel myths about the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

Dr. Brown earned her doctorate degree and completed her Residency in General/Adult Psychiatry at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and completed an additional two-year fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Listener Testimonials

• “Thank you for this presentation today. It is a very relevant, and refreshing, view on how to manage our symptoms.”
• “Speaker’s enthusiasm and clarity were just as important as what she said.”
• “ABSOLUTELY INSPIRING! (Yes, I’m using all caps intentionally because it was amazing!)”
• “Thank you for an excellent presentation. I got some ideas on how to transfer skills I have when training for a marathon to other areas in my life.”
• “Dr. Dawn (Brown) was the re-up in both strategies and energy that I needed today. My takeaway was a reminder that the process sucks but simply accepting it and starting SOMETHING small are how I win. “

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I found my way back to skateboarding in 2020. In the middle of the pandemic, my husband decided he wanted to learn to skateboard. Then our daughter got into it. Then our son. So our family hit the skateparks.

That’s how I found Telma and Rich and the Later Skaters Gang, an adult skate movement that started in Toronto (where I live) and is now global. Oorbee Roy, who has become a TikTok sensation as “Aunty Skates,” is another Later Skater friend of mine. At 47, she drops into huge bowls and shreds her backyard mini ramp, sometimes while wearing a sari.

At 43, I’m ecstatic to be skating again. Not just because it’s a fun way to exercise, but because it’s incredibly therapeutic.

9 Ways Skateboarding Steadies My ADHD Brain

1. Steady dopamine hits keep me motivated. Skating forces me to choose one small goal to achieve and celebrate at a time. The dopamine rush I get when I land a trick keeps me motivated and focused on the next step.

[Get This Free Download: 15 Health and Fitness Tips to Target ADHD Symptoms]

2. There are serotonin hits, too. Skating outdoors in the fresh air and sunlight gives me a boost of serotonin and uplifts my mood.

3. I relish the endorphin release. The physical act of riding around on my skateboard releases feel-good hormones that reduce stress and even provide pain relief for my joints.

4. I work out my cerebellum. I’m not pulling off kickflips or carving giant bowls yet. But I am improving my balance and control over the board, which works out my cerebellum. A stronger cerebellum can result in improved attention, focus, and emotional control.

5. I’m creating friendships and strengthening connections. I try to join as many Later Skater meetups as I can. I get a release of oxytocin as I bond with this positive community of skaters. They remind me that we all battle negative self-talk and mental blocks. And they cheer me on and offer feedback to help me progress. It’s way easier to stay motivated and consistent when I’m having a blast on my board with friends.

[Read: How to Make Friends as an Adult — A Guide for Women with ADHD]

6. I get to experience a healthy adrenaline rush. Like many people with ADHD, I’m drawn to risk and excitement. And skateboarding brings the right level of thrill-seeking. I will fall as I keep skateboarding. But learning how to fall safely gives me the courage to keep progressing to the next level.

7. I can be creative. When I’m on my skateboard, I’m making creative decisions and carving my own path. It’s exhilarating to juggle so many possibilities.

8. I can hyperfocus. We’ve gone as far as to have a mini ramp built in our basement so we can skateboard at home. I was worried we wouldn’t use it enough, but we do, and we’ve invited a few Later Skater friends over for sessions. (Thanks, Pete, for helping me with rock to fakies and tail stalls!)

9. I get stuck — and unstuck. Skateboarding has helped me physically, mentally, and socially. But even with all the good, and after making so many new skate friends, I sometimes still feel stuck — in my head or in the past. I’ll be fully padded and skating around the park a bit, only to stop and watch everyone else shred. When this happens, I give myself a jolt. What is the Later Skaters Gang about? “No matter the age or skill level, it’s all about little wins, a love of skateboarding and having fun.”

It’s Never Too Late — for Skateboarding or Anything Else

Despite my hiatus from skateboarding, the sport never truly ended up in my graveyard of abandoned interests. It will not be buried alongside bowling, stamp collecting, and Mid-century modern furniture restoration.

I never imagined I’d be spending my 40s connecting with people from all over the world who share a love for skateboarding. But here I am. I even got to appear in an epic video by Later Skaters Gang called These Are the Moments, featuring 120 skaters and their skate clips from 2022. There I am for a couple of seconds, attempting a 50-50 on a little ramp at the skatepark. Might not look like much, but it was a personal win for me. And a reminder to enjoy all the little moments, to just keep pushing.

Believe me, it’s never too late to skate — or to find what helps you thrive. As my Aunty Skates T-shirt reminds me: “It’s never too late to live your best life!”

Skateboarding, Wellbeing, and ADHD: Next Steps

• Free Download: The ADHD Healthy Habits Handbook
• Read: Exercise and the ADHD Brain — The Neuroscience of Movement
• Read: When Hobbies Turn Into Obsessions — Diaries of ADHD Hyperfocus

Myra is a wife, mother, and teacher from Toronto who loves to write about #theBIGinSmallThings. When she’s not trying to find her keys or wallet, Myra loves drinking bubble tea and skateboarding with her family.

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Growing in lockstep with our scientific understanding of ADHD is our knowledge about epigenetics — the study of how lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, and sleep exert real, physical changes on a person’s DNA. ADHD is a genetic disorder, yes. But epigenetic changes to DNA do influence how strongly or weakly those ADHD genes get expressed in day-to-day life. In other words, you can positively impact ADHD symptoms by modifying your environment through sleep, exercise, and food changes.

In most cases, sleep, food, and exercise will not replace medication or therapy in a treatment plan, nor should they — they’re most effective as complementary treatments. It’s best to balance professional care with deliberate healthy lifestyle choices in an integrated approach to treatment. Here’s how to get started:

In this download, you will learn the following:

• What lifestyle changes can improve ADHD symptoms
• How to improve your sleep hygiene
• What to include in a bedtime routine
• How to start an exercise routine
• And more!

NOTE: This resource is for personal use only.

Click each image below to learn more about building and maintaining healthy habits this year.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence, then, that I’ve come across quite a few landscape gardeners, florists, and horticulturalists with ADHD. I also know many people who, eager to begin living life on their terms after receiving an ADHD diagnosis, relocated from the city to a more fitting rural or seaside location.

I’ve been drawn to nature all my life. There’s an embarrassing home video of me at age 11 dancing barefoot in my garden and singing about my love of flowers. For a good portion of my childhood, I grew up only a few minutes away from the ocean. To this day, my perfect morning begins with a barefoot walk on the beach, waves lapping away my anxious thoughts and ruminating worries.

Moments in nature – like taking a hike or grounding myself barefoot in the garden – are part of my daily well-being kit. I also make it a point to face my garden as I work from my office, as it calms me to look at the fractal patterns of the trees, plants, and leaves surrounding the pond (the latter was a spur-of-the-moment lockdown project). To combat my daily Zoom sessions, I schedule in a non-negotiable hour each day to disconnect from my devices and get some fresh air, rain or shine.

My kids (some of whom have ADHD) are happiest when visiting our local woods. Often, the only way to get them out of a temper tantrum is by bribing them with hot chocolate in the forest.

[Get This eBook: The ADDitude Guide to Treating ADHD Naturally]

ADHD’s seeming connection to nature, I imagine, comes from a constant need to calm our often overwhelmed and dysregulated nervous systems. Our ADHD brains and bodies crave more dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and endorphins than do neurotypicals brains, and green time might be one of the best ways to satisfy these cravings. Research confirms the benefits of green time in reducing ADHD symptoms¹, but how do we realistically integrate it into our everyday lives?

How to Connect with Nature: 6 Simple Ways

Even if you live in a city where green spaces aren’t easily accessible, here are my tips to help you connect with nature:

1. Create an indoor plant garden. Research shows that indoor gardening is beneficial to mental and physical health.² If you’re not sure where to begin, start small and get your hands dirty potting some small patio plants.

2. Walk barefoot over grass. It’s relaxing, and there might be something to making bodily contact with the Earth, or grounding. Small studies show a list of benefits associated with grounding, including stress reduction.³

[Read: Exercise and the ADHD Brain – the Neuroscience of Movement]

3. Hug a tree. Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, has huge health benefits and helps with our emotional well-being.⁴ The next time you walk through a park or a pathway of trees, try using all your senses to take in your surroundings. Touch the tree bark, notice the leaves, and take in nature’s fragrance.

4. Join a local hiking or walking club. You’ll make new friends, connect with other nature-lovers, and explore your local areas with a like-minded community. Going with a group will also help with accountability if going by yourself seems too daunting.

5. Take a bike ride (or rent a bike) and explore your local cycle paths and woodland areas.

6. Use local outdoor gyms. These gyms are available across many cities. Do some research and find the outdoor gym closest to you.

Benefits of Nature for ADHD Well-Being: Next Steps

• Free Download: Natural ADHD Treatment Options
• Read: Go Take a Hike! (No, Really, It Helps.)
• Read: Take It Outside! Treating ADHD with Exercise

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹ Thygesen, M., Engemann, K., Holst, G. J., Hansen, B., Geels, C., Brandt, J., Pedersen, C. B., & Dalsgaard, S. (2020). The Association between Residential Green Space in Childhood and Development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Population-Based Cohort Study. Environmental health perspectives, 128(12), 127011. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6729

² Thompson R. (2018). Gardening for health: a regular dose of gardening. Clinical medicine (London, England), 18(3), 201–205. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmedicine.18-3-201

³ Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S. T., Oschman, J. L., Sokal, K., & Sokal, P. (2012). Earthing: health implications of reconnecting the human body to the Earth’s surface electrons. Journal of environmental and public health, 2012, 291541. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291541

⁴ Wen, Y., Yan, Q., Pan, Y., Gu, X., & Liu, Y. (2019). Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review. Environmental health and preventive medicine, 24(1), 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-019-0822-8

Lack of sleep. Increased stress. Medication side effects. Depression and anxiety. Fear of falling behind. You might not realize it, but if you or your children are living with ADHD, these issues could bring on or worsen headaches — and they might even worsen your ADHD. For some people, headaches might stem from undiagnosed ADHD. When headaches are frequent and debilitating, students miss school days and adults lose time at work, adding to stress.

Wait, you might say. There’s actually a connection between headaches and ADHD? Research says yes, and it might be worse for women. Help may be elusive, as physicians who treat migraine headaches might not be familiar with ADHD and the factors that can lead to or aggravate this condition. But this webinar with Dr. Sarah Cheyette is designed to expose those connections to improve your quality of care.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• The connection between migraine headaches and ADHD
• The factors that may lead to or worsen headaches in people with and without ADHD, and in women in particular
• Strategies to reduce or stop migraines
• Resources to help you overcome the problems that lead to headaches

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

Download or Stream the Podcast Audio

Click the play button below to listen to this episode directly in your browser, click the symbol to download to listen later, or open in your podcasts app: Apple Podcasts; Google Podcasts; Stitcher; Spotify; Amazon Music; iHeartRADIO.

More on ADHD and Migraine Headaches

• Download: Choosing the Right Professional to Treat ADHD
• Read: Study Reveals Significant Comorbid Link Between ADHD and Migraines
• Read: ADHD Medications and Headaches

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on May 24, 2022, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Expert Speaker:

Sarah Cheyette, MD, is a pediatric neurologist. She graduated from Princeton University and UCLA Medical School. She is a co-author of the books, Winning with ADHD: A Playbook for Teens and Young Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (#CommissionsEarned) and ADHD & The Focused Mind: A Guide to Giving Your ADHD Child Focus, Discipline & Self-Confidence. (#CommissionsEarned)

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Listener Testimonials

“The presenter was great. I wish she was in my area to be my neurologist!”

“This webinar shed a lot of light on so many issues my family has struggled with.”

“Dr. Cheyette’s lecture was very insightful and well presented.”

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