| Managing Depression Through Exercise |
Doctors regularly include exercise as part of their course of action for managing depression. While a fitness program may not eliminate depression, it does create benefits that encourage healthy coping strategies. Studies find that people who exercise regularly receive a positive boost in how they feel psychologically, which may help those who suffer from depression.
By exercising, your body will release endorphins. These endorphins act as analgesics, reacting with the receptors in your brain that act as a sedative to relax your body, and reduce your perception of pain. These endorphins are produced in many parts of your body, including the brain and spinal cord. The endorphins work a lot like pain medicines by binding to the same neuron receptors, however when these receptors are activated, they do not lead to addiction or dependence as with pain medicines such as morphine.
Additional physical benefits of exercise that relate to depression sufferers include improved quality of sleep, increased energy levels, and lowered blood pressure
Psychologically, exercise has proven to have many positive effects on people. After a person exercises, he or she tends to feel a sense of accomplishment, which, in turn, leads to an increase in self-esteem. Other psychological benefits of exercise for those with symptoms of depression include stress reduction, distraction from unpleasant thoughts, and opportunities for positive interactions with others.
While depression can make it difficult to get motivated to take a shower, take out the trash, or go to work. 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 30 minutes per day, three to five days per week tend to experience significant improvements in depression symptoms. To get yourself started, however, even smaller amounts of exercise can help in the short term. Begin with a more easily attainable goal of 10-15 minutes per day. Do not make exercising become a burden that adds stress and anxiety to your life.
To further increase your chances of being successful, develop your exercise program based on exercises that you enjoy. Many studies have shown that any 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, working around the house, volleyball, tennis or basketball.
If your lifestyle is 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 kickboxing, yoga, and “spinning” (stationary bikes).
If you are more likely to exercise at home, then assess your goals and decide what type of program you will be doing. There are excellent video workout routines that people have found success in, such as Core Secrets for stability ball core training, and P90X as a great total body workout program utilizing a 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 becoming bored with your exercises.
To learn more about the effects of exercise on depression, please visit http://www.exerciseanddepression.com
Depression & Exercise
Article Source: UnArchived Articles
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