Moving for Mental Health: When Exercise Helps — and When It Can Feel Hard
We often hear that exercise is “good for our mental health” — and there is plenty of evidence to support this.
Movement can help reduce stress, improve mood, support sleep, increase energy and create a sense of achievement. It can also provide a valuable opportunity to step away from our thoughts and reconnect with our bodies.
But there is an important part of the conversation we don't always hear:
For some people, exercise can also bring up difficult memories, emotions or trauma responses.
And when that happens, being told to “just exercise more” isn't particularly helpful.
The mental health benefits of movement
Exercise doesn't have to mean going to the gym or running a marathon.
Walking, swimming, dancing, gardening, stretching, yoga, cycling or simply moving your body throughout the day can all contribute to wellbeing.
Regular movement can support mental health by:
Reducing stress and helping the body regulate stress hormones
Supporting improved mood and emotional wellbeing
Increasing opportunities for social connection
Improving sleep quality
Building confidence and a sense of capability
Providing structure and routine
Helping us reconnect with our bodies
Creating opportunities for mindfulness and being present
Exercise can also give us a chance to experience something incredibly valuable after difficult life experiences: “My body can do things.”
However, that experience isn't always immediately accessible to people who have experienced trauma.
Why can exercise trigger trauma responses?
Trauma can change the way we experience our bodies and our environment.
Exercise can involve increased heart rate, sweating, breathlessness, muscle tension, physical exertion and loss of control. Interestingly, some of these physical sensations can resemble aspects of a trauma response.
For someone who has experienced trauma, a racing heart might not feel like “I'm getting fitter.”
It might feel like:
“Something is wrong.”
Breathlessness might trigger memories of fear. Sweating might feel unsafe. Being in a particular environment — such as a gym, changing room, swimming pool or sporting field — may bring back memories associated with previous experiences.
Exercise can also involve being watched, touched, instructed or physically vulnerable. For someone with a history of trauma, these experiences may activate feelings of being judged, controlled or unsafe.
This doesn't mean exercise is bad for trauma survivors.
It means our nervous systems have context.
When “pushing through” isn't the answer
There is a common belief that we need to push ourselves outside our comfort zone to grow.
Sometimes that is true.
But trauma recovery isn't about forcing yourself through overwhelming experiences.
If your nervous system is telling you that something is unsafe, repeatedly overriding that response can sometimes reinforce the sense that your body isn't being listened to.
Instead, we can work towards choice, safety and gradual exposure.
Ask yourself:
What type of movement feels safe enough today?
Maybe it's a five-minute walk.
Maybe it's stretching at home with the door closed.
Maybe it's dancing to one song.
Maybe it's exercising with a trusted person.
Maybe today isn't an exercise day at all.
There is no moral value attached to how much you exercise.
Finding movement that feels safe
If exercise brings up trauma memories or uncomfortable body sensations, consider starting small.
Choose your environment.
Find somewhere that feels predictable and comfortable.
Give yourself choices.
You can stop, slow down, change activities or leave.
Focus on sensations rather than performance.
Instead of counting calories, kilometres or repetitions, notice how your body feels.
Build gradually.
You don't need to go from doing nothing to exercising five days a week.
Use grounding.
Notice your feet on the floor, the temperature of the air, what you can see around you and your breathing.
Find movement you actually enjoy.
Exercise doesn't have to be punishment for eating, a way to change your body or something you have to earn.
And perhaps most importantly:
Your body deserves compassion, not punishment.
For people recovering from trauma, reconnecting with the body can be a powerful part of healing. Sometimes that journey begins with exercise. Sometimes it begins with simply learning that it is safe to inhabit your body again.
If movement consistently triggers intense distress, panic, dissociation or trauma memories, talking with a trauma-informed mental health professional can help you understand your responses and develop strategies that support both your mental health and your sense of safety.
You don't have to force yourself to feel better.
You can learn to feel safer, one small step at a time.
New Women's Mental Health & Relationships Program
We are excited to continue our Women's Mental Health & Relationships Program at The Buzz Yarrabilba.
The program started on Wednesday, 1st July 2026, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm and continues on the first Wednesday of every month.
This welcoming and supportive program provides a space for women to explore topics including:
Mental wellbeing
Healthy relationships
Self-care and self-worth
Resilience and coping strategies
Personal growth and empowerment
Dating and relationship confidence
Whether you're looking to strengthen your relationships, improve your emotional wellbeing, connect with other women, or simply take some time to invest in yourself, we'd love to welcome you.
We believe that honest conversations can create connection, reduce shame, and remind us that we are rarely the only person experiencing what we are experiencing.
Come along, meet other women, learn some practical tools, and take a little time for yourself.
We look forward to connecting with you!
“Authentic connection begins when we show up as ourselves.”
Warm regards,
Hold the Hope Counselling
Supporting mental health, relationships, wellbeing and meaningful change.