Depression and Anxiety can be eased by Exercise

In addition to medication or talk therapy, more and more doctors are prescribing a regular dose of exercise to patients afflicted with depression or anxiety.

According to Kristin Vickers-Douglas, Ph.D., a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., “There’s substantial evidence that exercise can enhance mood and reduce symptoms of depression.” She admits “It’s not a magic bullet, but increasing physical activity is a positive and active strategy to help manage depression.”
 
Just as little as 10 minutes of exercise each day can help alleviate symptoms of certain mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and also help prevent a relapse after treatment. Rather than trying to lose 30 pounds in a short period of time or engaging in a sweat-drenched workout, the idea is to simply do something active.

Despite ongoing research, exactly how exercise reduces symptoms isn’t clear. One theory explains how exercise increases levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, which reduces negative moods and improves positive moods.

Psychologically, exercise can benefit in numerous ways, Dr. Vickers-Douglas says.

• It can improve confidence and self-esteem by building a sense of accomplishment and reshaping how you think about your appearance.
• It provides a positive shift in focus away from unpleasant or unhelpful thoughts.
• Exercise also gives you an opportunity to experience positive social or environmental reinforcement, such as interacting with others or nature.

Doing something beneficial to manage your depression or anxiety can also be a positive and active coping strategy.

Even though it’s unclear exactly how exercise is important in reducing symptoms of depression, there’s no reason to wait until the positive effects on mental health are fully understood.

Of course, people don’t always do what they know is good for them and even less people continue doing it once they’ve started. But setting realistic goals, identifying what you enjoy and recognizing that exercise won’t always be fun or easy can help. So get out there and start taking advantage of the benefits of physical activity now!