Top 7 Exercises for Postpartum Depression to Help You Feel Strong Again

Postpartum depression (PPD) can feel overwhelming, isolating, and incredibly heavy, but you are not alone, and you are not broken. Many women experience PPD after giving birth, and healing is possible. While therapy and medication are often essential tools, movement can also be a powerful support. In this blog, we’ll explore uplifting, manageable exercises for postpartum depression, how they help, and why showing up for yourself, one small step at a time, matters.

Before we dive in, we’re not medical professionals. Always consult your doctor before beginning or resuming any fitness program, especially when you’re navigating postpartum depression. Our advice is meant to encourage and inform, not to diagnose or treat.

How Exercise Supports Mental Health After Birth

Let’s be clear, exercise isn’t a cure, but it can be a companion on your healing journey. Research shows that movement increases endorphins and serotonin, boosts energy, reduces anxiety, and improves sleep, all things that are often impacted by postpartum depression.

The key is to choose a movement that:

• Feels doable in your current season
• Respects your healing body
• Supports your emotional well-being
• Offers structure and connection

Let’s walk through some of the most helpful exercises for postpartum depression and how to safely get started.

1. Walking: The Most Underrated Exercise for Postpartum Depression

If the thought of “working out” feels impossible right now, start with a walk. Walking is low-impact and requires no equipment. Plus, it can be done with your baby in a stroller or wrap.

Why it helps:

• Increases circulation and endorphins
• Provides fresh air and a change of scenery
• Can be meditative and grounding
• Offers a chance to connect with other moms or nature

Tip: Aim for 10–20 minutes to start. It’s not about how far you go, just that you go.

2. Postpartum Yoga: Mind-Body Connection and Calm

Yoga is a gentle, soothing, and effective way to ease back into movement. Many postpartum women find yoga helps reduce anxiety, regulate breathing, and reconnect with their core and pelvic floor.

Best types for postpartum depression:

• Restorative yoga
• Gentle hatha yoga
• Postnatal yoga classes (often include baby)

Why it works:

• Combines breathwork and mindfulness
• Reduces stress and cortisol levels
• Promotes flexibility and self-awareness

Look for instructors trained in postpartum yoga to ensure safe modifications and a nurturing environment.

3. Strength Training: Rebuilding Confidence and Stability

Once your doctor clears you for more structured activity, adding light strength training can be incredibly empowering. It’s not just about muscles, it’s about reclaiming your body.

How strength training helps with PPD:

• Improves posture, core strength, and daily function
• Releases feel-good endorphins
• Builds a sense of control and progress

Start with bodyweight or resistance bands and focus on:

• Glute bridges
• Wall sits
• Light dumbbell rows
• Bodyweight squats

Important: Postpartum bodies need time to heal, especially your core and pelvic floor. A certified postpartum trainer (like those at Peak Women) can guide you through a safe return to strength training.

4. Stretching and Mobility: Release Tension and Reconnect

When you’re in the thick of postpartum depression, your body can carry emotional tension, especially in your shoulders, hips, and back. Simple daily stretching can create a sense of release.

Stretching routines for PPD relief might include:

• Cat/cow poses
• Shoulder rolls
• Hip openers like seated butterfly stretch
• Neck and spine mobility work

Just 5–10 minutes a day can bring emotional and physical relief.

5. Breathing Exercises and Gentle Core Work

Diaphragmatic breathing is a foundational movement that supports both emotional regulation and postpartum healing. Paired with light core activation, it’s a safe, grounding place to start.

Breath-based exercises for postpartum depression:

• Deep belly breathing (inhale 4, hold 2, exhale 6)
• 360 breathing to reconnect your diaphragm and core
• Breath + pelvic floor coordination (“blow before you go” technique)

These exercises not only soothe your nervous system, they also help your body recover from pregnancy and birth, especially if you suspect you have diastasis recti.

6. Shared Personal Training: Community and Custom Support

One of the hardest parts of postpartum depression is feeling like you’re doing it alone. That’s why shared or small group personal training, especially in women-only spaces, can be so effective.

At Peak Women, our shared personal training sessions pair you with another woman, so you still get individualized attention in a supportive, communal setting.

How our women only gym helps:

• Reduces isolation
• Offers a safe, nonjudgmental space
• Builds consistency and routine
• Encourages joy and connection through movement

Even if you don’t feel “ready,” just showing up can be a win.

7. Dance or Movement to Music: Joy in Motion

Sometimes the best exercises for postpartum depression are the ones that make you forget you’re even exercising. Movement to music, whether it’s a structured class or just dancing in your kitchen, can shift your mood instantly.

Benefits of dancing:

• Sparks joy and playfulness
• Encourages free expression
• Gets your heart rate up
• Can involve your baby or older kids

There’s no right or wrong here; just move if it feels good.

Tips for Getting Started with Exercise Postpartum

When you’re dealing with postpartum depression, the idea of starting anything new can feel daunting. But movement doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Here are some realistic, gentle ways to begin:

• Start small. Five minutes count.
• Do it with your baby. Stroller walks, baby yoga, or babywearing squats.
• Pick a time you’re most likely to have energy. Even if that’s 11 a.m. or 4 p.m.
• Celebrate consistency, not intensity. Showing up is the win.
• Choose community. If you’re in Troy, MI, Peak Women is here to support you.

When to Talk to a Professional

Exercise can help, but it’s not a substitute for medical care. If you’re feeling persistently sad, anxious, hopeless, or detached from your baby or yourself, talk to your doctor or mental health provider. You deserve full-spectrum support.

You are not weak for needing help. You are strong for reaching out.

Why Peak Women Is a Safe Place to Start

At Peak Women, we understand that exercises for postpartum depression aren’t just about fitness. They’re about healing, empowerment, and feeling like yourself again.

Our women-only gym space in Troy, Michigan, is:

• Comfortable and judgment-free
• Run by female trainers who get it
• Focused on mental health as much as physical strength
• Built around your schedule and your stage of life

Whether you want to ease back into movement, reconnect with your body, or simply find a community of women who understand what you’re going through, we’re here for you.

Movement Is Medicine, So Try These Exercises For Postpartum Depression Today

If you’re struggling with postpartum depression, know that your story doesn’t end here. You are not alone, and healing is possible. Movement can be a bridge back to yourself, one breath, one walk, one moment at a time.

Let Peak Women walk that journey with you.

Ready to start moving again, gently, safely, and with support?

Reach out to Peak Women today and learn more about our postpartum personal training options. Your strength is still here. Let’s rediscover it together.

Frequently Asked Questions: Exercises for Postpartum Depression

What Are The Best Exercises For Postpartum Depression?

Some of the best exercises for postpartum depression include walking, gentle yoga, light strength training, stretching, and deep breathing. The goal isn’t intensity, it’s consistency, connection, and supporting your mental health in a safe, manageable way.

How Soon After Birth Can I Start Exercising?

Always consult with your healthcare provider first. Many women can begin light movement, such as walking or breathing exercises, within days or weeks of delivery. For more structured workouts, it’s common to wait 6–8 weeks, especially after a C-section or complicated birth.

Can Exercise Really Help With Postpartum Depression?

Yes, movement has been shown to help improve mood, reduce anxiety, and increase energy levels. While it’s not a cure, it can be a valuable part of a broader recovery plan that includes therapy, medical care, and social support.

I’m Exhausted And Overwhelmed. How Can I Even Start?

Start small. Even 5 minutes of movement, stretching, walking, or dancing with your baby can help. Choose something that feels achievable today, not perfect. You don’t need to do it alone; supportive spaces like Peak Women are here to help.

What Makes Peak Women Different For Postpartum Training?

Peak Women is a women-only personal training studio in Troy, Michigan, designed to be safe, supportive, and inclusive. Our certified female trainers understand postpartum challenges and create personalized programs that focus on healing, not pressure. Mental health is part of how we train.