Exercise May be the Best Medicine for Depression
A Brisk Jog or Quick Walk is All One Needs to Feel Better
Jan 14, 2009
No one will dispute that exercise is a panacea for many modern diseases. It’s been well documented that regular exercise can lower blood pressure, improve diabetes, strengthen bones, raise HDL cholesterol, along with a host of other benefits.
Increasingly, however, studies are showing that exercise may offer tremendous benefits for the clinically depressed, anxious, or stressed. Some will venture to say that exercise is even more potent than medication for relieving these mental states.
Depression and Exercise
As Len Kravitz, Ph.D. notes in Exercise and Psychological Health, “…individuals with clinical depression tend to be less active than healthy average adults.” As a result, from a general health point of view, exercise should be encouraged for these individuals, especially since patients with diagnosed depression described exercise as “the most important element in comprehensive treatment programs for depression.”
It doesn’t seem to matter, either, whether exercise is aerobic or anaerobic in nature, both work equally well for men and women alike. Even one intense bout of exercise has a positive effect, although research suggests that the best effects occur after four months of a regular exercise regimen.
Anxiety Responds to Exercise
More than depression, most people suffer regularly from some stage of anxiety. Anxiety is defined as “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.” The current economic meltdown is enough to stimulate most anyone into a state of anxiety. Anxiety is very common and is not usually clinically treated unless symptoms like panic attacks manifest on a regular basis. Most of the time, people’s bouts of anxiousness are short-lived, although many do live in a constant state of anxiety.
Fortunately, exercise is an excellent way to reduce anxiety, with aerobic exercise being most effective. While long term exercisers will benefit the most from this activity, even short bursts of aerobic exercise appear to alleviate anxiety. A quick five minute walk is worth the effort.
Exercise Boosts Self-Esteem and Mood
Exercise also lifts people’s moods, particularly those who are feeling “blue” or “down.” This is largely because exercise stimulates endorphins, the brain’s signal to feel good.
Those with low self-esteem see the most improvement in self-esteem brought on by exercise. Whether the raise in self-esteem is due to a sense of accomplishment, a perception of competence, achievement or body conditioning is uncertain and may vary depending on the individual. Certainly when a person perceives his/her body image in a more positive light, self-esteem will improve.
Affordability
Barring physical disability, there are not many good excuses for abstaining from exercise. Gym membership is not needed, nor is fancy equipment or attire. A good pair of walking shoes is an excellent beginning to ending the depression and blues. A person can, literally, walk away the blues.
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