Depression and Exercise
Depression is a mental illness that at times can be debilitating to the person suffering from it. Depression is characterized as a sense of sadness, loss of interest in things that in the past brought you pleasure, you may have feelings of guilt, a low level of energy and a decrease ability to change. All of these things can dramatically alter a person’s life. It requires treatment to help relieve some of the symptoms. Many times medications along with therapy are often prescribed and to help with an individual with depression. Doctors having been looking for other ways that an individual can help combat some of those symptoms. One such way, an individual can find some relief is through exercise.
Exercise
Doctors have come to believe that exercise coupled with medication can help an individual combat depression; however, this treatment is not always used to its full potential. It has been shown that depressed individuals only exercise about half as much as individuals who are not depressed. This lack of exercise could also put an individual at a greater risk of having a heart attack.
Depression makes you tired, so that you want to crawl into bed, pull the covers over your head and never leave it. They key is trying to find a way to get yourself out of the dark place. It is thought that getting up and exercising is an excellent way to relieve some of the symptoms of depression, and at the same time reduce stress, anxiety, boost your self-esteem and improve your sleep pattern.
An important brain chemical is serotonin. Serotonin is contributes to functions such as sleep, appetite and mood, and has been linked to depression. Research has found that regular exercise and an increase in physical activity alters the level of serotonin in the brain and thus improves an individual’s mood and good feeling.
What types of exercises?
It appears that all types of exercises can help with depression. You may want to check with your doctor first, barring any other medical condition, there should be no problem with an individual beginning an exercise program.
First, you should choose activities that you like to do. You have to remember that you don’t have to do a lot, and put in unnecessary pressure on yourself to do more than you can handle. Exercising should be seen as fun, and not duty. If it nice, you should go outside for your exercise, the fresh air and sunshine can also increase your mood. Second, you should make exercise part of your daily routine, this way you will always remember to do it. Third, if you can exercise with a friend or take a class, if you have some one to work out with it is more likely that you will continue with the program. It also helps to motivate you and build your self esteem having someone else there with you. Finally, you have to stick with it, don’t lose interest and give up doing it, make it so it becomes part of your lifestyle.
In order to get the most out of your exercise routine, as a beginner you should start out slow, by exercising for about twenty minutes a day, three times a week. You can then gradually build up to thirty minutes a day.
Everyone knows that exercise can help to strengthen the heart, reduce body fat, and make you an all around more health individual. Now, exercise has proven that it can also help you emotionally. Individuals who exercise often see an instant change in their feelings and have seen a drop in the level of depression they experience. Also, they are no side effects of exercise that can come with medications. It allows an individual to feel good about themselves, it makes you more mentally alert, it gives you more confidence, and helps you better cope with stress. All of these are things that depression robs an individual of. Depression leaves a person with the feeling of no control over their lives and the things happening. This allows a person to take back some of the control in their lives, and can help them on the road to recovery.
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