Experiencing depression is an immensely frustrating process. It can be extremely incapacitating and creates an immensely difficult living environment around the victim. Irrespective of the nature of the symptoms when a person suffers from depression, it becomes very hard to pull oneself out of the big dark hole that characterizes utter despair. One of the most effective ways of dealing with acute depression is through physical exercise.
Simultaneous research on exercise and depression and the effect of exercise on the latter dates back as much as 200 years. Only recently did scientists come up with the fact that exercise has a lot of beneficial advantages on the overall mood in both clinically depressed as well as healthy individuals.
Most of the research work and studies carried out in this context enhance the fact that depression and exercise had both physiological and psychological counteractions for the participants who took part in the examinations. More than 90% of the participants who took part in the examination did display a positive influence of exercise in reducing the level of depression. The results are quick to notice.
Further study on hospitalized individuals suffering from depression revealed that when the individual was put on an exercise regimen, it showed significant amounts of reduction in the levels of depression and that too for an extended period. Participants suffering from depression who took part in special programs of aerobic exercise were detected with improved relief symptoms. On the other hand, other patients suffering from depression who took part in simple occupational therapies did not report any significant improvements in their condition.
In fact, doctors are of the view that patients suffering from depression, if asked to go for 8 weeks of continuous jogging, walking or other forms of recreational therapy, would show rapid improvement in comparison to others. The effects will be evident all the more if the effects in this case are compared to another group of patients suffering from depression who are not initiated on such an exercise regimen.
Depression is a very common mental situation that most of us have either experienced at one point in time or heard of from a close friend or associate. Though therapy and medication are some of the common ways of treating depression, exercise is an immensely effective tool that not only ensures a speedy relief but also ascertains a healthy lifestyle thereafter. Numerous studies conducted in this context have revealed the same result repetitively, that exercise can be implemented in an efficient way to fight moderate to severe levels of depression.
Though there is no evidence of the fact as to which particular kind of exercise has a deeper impact and effect on depression, nonetheless most physicians are of the view that aerobic activities and running are two of the most effective physical exercises that help reduce depression. Walking also has positive effects on reducing depression.
Effects of exercise on depression
Discussed next are various ways in which different kinds of exercise including aerobics and walking exercise can help reduce depression thereby showing the depressed individual the way to a healthy lifestyle once again.
- Physical fitness exercise helps build on the sense of command and self-confidence. This comes in real handy for individuals suffering from depression as it brings back the feeling of control over one’s own life.
- Physical exercise helps reduce depression and boost overall energy levels.
- Physical exercise and walking exercise also play an instrumental role in building the self-esteem of the individual suffering from chronic depression.
- One of the most significant facts about physical exercise is that it provides a very solid distraction from the worries and anxieties common in depression.
- Physical exercise and walking exercise help improve one’s body and health ensuring a healthy existence. This can also help lift one’s spirits to a large extent which diminishes the feelings of depression.
- Physical exercise also does away with all pent-up stress and stored frustration which removes the mental pressure and dismisses all such situations that are potentially enough to lead to depression.
- Finally, physical exercise rather than just any kind of exercise helps you sleep better. Sleeping is one of the most significant problems in depression where individuals complain of insomnia and other problems in sleeping. In such situations, exercise can come in real handy.
Effective exercise workouts to treat Depression
To manage depression, no exercise can be termed as either right or wrong. The high-intensity physical exercise like aerobics and jogging provides a two-step outcome. One is that it engages the mind and body preventing it from stagnating into the pool of depression. The other is it triggers the release of particular hormones that can help the depressed individual feel rather good. On the other hand, there is also lower-intensity physical exercise like Pilates and yoga which initiate relaxation and help connect the body with the soul ensuring a healthy outcome.