Depression: It Affects You, Defeat It Through Exercise

Depression: It Affects You, Defeat it Through Exercise

Depression is a normal reaction to loss, life's struggles, or an injured self-esteem. But sometimes the feeling of sadness becomes intense, lasting for long periods of time and preventing a person from leading a normal life. (http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-basics)

Depression affects everyone at one time or another. The symptoms will be both emotional and physical. Some believe that depression is not an illness, but rather a state of mind triggered by how we respond and make sense of a bad experience or tragedy. The fact is -- it can be both a natural condition and an illness. Medical condition or not, it negatively impacts your life, and you have the control to overcome it. The first step in conquering depression is to recognize its existence in you.

Take note of your yes or no responses to the following: Do you find yourself becoming less social than you used to be? Do you feel overwhelmed with work, school, chores, cooking, laundry, and all the other tasks expected of you? Do you often feel fatigued, and sleep doesn’t seem to make a difference? Is it difficult getting out of bed in the morning? Do you find yourself forgetting things often? Have you recently gone to see a Doctor for frequent headaches or stomachaches, and there is no explanation? Do you find that you are losing interest in the things you used to enjoy? Has your appetite changed in either direction? Do you feel angry or anxious more than you would like to? If you have answered yes to a couple of these questions, you may have mild depression, if you answered yes to most you may have moderate to severe depression, depending on the length of time you have been experiencing these symptoms. But not to worry, depression is treatable, and suffering is optional.

Mourning a loss is your right, and the treatment method you choose to get out of a depressive state, or better yet – to prevent it, should be carefully selected.

Treatment can be achieved through medication, psychotherapy, exercise, and other alternative methods. However, exercise has the most overall benefit to the mind and body.

Numerous studies have concluded that exercise can prevent and improve mood in people with mild to moderate depression. Studies have also shown that groups who used medication compared to groups who exercised, experienced similar results in recovering from depression. This suggests that for those who prefer to avoid drugs, exercise is an even better solution than an antidepressant. Further, some studies also concluded that in the long-term, those who exercised were less likely to face depression or to have a relapse of depression.

It is well known that exercise enables the release of endorphins. Increased endorphins in the body improve mood, and the body’s natural immunity. Exercise also stimulates the serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to a range of functions, including sleep, memory and learning, body temperature, libido, appetite, and mood. Besides the chemical reaction in the body, regular exercise results in other benefits that relieve depression.

Exercise boosts self-esteem through the sense of accomplishment and control. Group exercise offers a social aspect and the opportunity to make new friends. The release of adrenaline through exercise promotes a relaxed state of mind. The joy of exercising may even end the cycle of negative thinking associated with depression and transform itself into a positive