How They Are Linked

How They Are Linked

Physicians will regularly include exercise as part of their course of action for managing depression. While an exercise program may not cure depression, it does create benefits that encourage healthy coping strategies. Studies have found that people who exercise on a regular basis receive a positive boost in how they feel physically and psychologically, which may help those who suffer from depression.

By exercising, your body will release endorphins. These endorphins act as analgesics that react with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain, and also as a sedative to relax your body. They are made in many parts of your body, including the brain and spinal cord. They work a lot like pain medicines by binding to the same neuron receptors, but when these receptors are activated, they don’t lead to addiction or dependence as with pain medications such as morphine.

Other benefits of exercise that relate to depression sufferers include increased energy levels, lowered blood pressure, and improved quality of sleep

In general, exercise has proven to have many positive effects on people. After exercising, people tend to feel a sense of accomplishment, which, leads to an increase in self-esteem. Further psychological benefits of exercise for those with symptoms of depression include stress reduction, distraction from unpleasant thoughts, and opportunities for positive interactions with others.

Depression can make it difficult to get motivated to even shower, go to work, or even go grocery shopping. Learning how to set realistic goals allows you to still be able to benefit from exercise. Many studies have found that adults who exercise at least a half hour a day, three to five times per week tend to experience significant improvements in depression symptoms. To get yourself started, however, even smaller amounts of exercise can help. Begin with a shorter goal of 10-15 minutes each day. Try not to make exercising a burden that adds anxiety and stress to your life.

If you base your exercise program on exercises that you enjoy, you will increase your chances of being successful in reaching your goals. Many studies have shown that any sort of exercise appears to positively impact the symptoms of depression, so focus on what you like to do. Some examples of moderate to vigorous exercises are swimming, walking, jogging, riding a bike, dancing, doing housework, volleyball, tennis or basketball.

If you feel like your lifestyle would be better suited for working out around other people in a gym, look into your local facilities. Depending on your personal goals, local gyms offer a variety of classes including yoga, kickboxing, and stationary bikes.

If you are more likely to exercise in the comfort of your own home, then look at your goals and decide what type of workouts you will be doing. There are many video workout routines that people have found a lot of success in, such as Core Secrets for stability ball core training, and P90X as a great total body workout program using a relatively new concept of muscle confusion to prevent muscles from hitting a plateau.

Remember that, whatever you decide, be sure to mix up what you do often to prevent boredom with your exercise.