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Exercise can help with depression.
Exercise has long been praised as a way to keep physically fit and help ward off high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases . Apart from weight loss, physical activities can have a dramatic effect on the brain. There is plenty of evidence using exercise as a treatment for depression and other mood disorders continues to increase. Most psychiatrists and psychologists advise earnestly their patients to get plenty of exercise.
Over the last two decades, dozen of research studies have demonstrated the mental health of physical fitness. Some of the studies use exercise as a form of treatment for people with depression and anxiety. In a recent Duke University researchers discovered that exercise can have the same effect in treating depression as medications. And it linked to have longer-lasting recovery. Exercise lifts mood and can alleviate various mental disorders. According to James A. Blumenthal, a professor of medical psychiatry and psychology at Duke University , has studied exercise and mood disorders. A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999 and 2000, Blumenthal demonstrated exercise outperformed Zoloft.
Regular activity has been linked to improve mental health. In another study, getting half and hour of exercise per day, six days per week, had shown to have the same effect as prescribed medication for mildly depressed patients, as stated in a 2005 major study. Dr. Andrea Dunn, director of behavioral research at the Cooper Institute in Denver , published her findings in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. She came to the conclusion that approximately three hours of exercise a week “led to substantial decrease in symptoms”.
The brain's levels of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine , all neurotransmitters which affect mood, are raised by exercise. These chemicals are similar to the ones found in antidepressant medications. Phenylethylamine has similar structure to amphetamines. They rise significantly during fitness exercise to create a mood-boosting effect, according to Professor Ellen Billett and her colleagues at the sport science department of Nottingham Trent University .
Exercise alone isn't a cure for depression. However its benefits on the psychological and physical can improve symptoms. Exercise has benefits when one has depression or anxiety. These include:
- Confidence. Staying physically active provides a sense of accomplishment. Setting goals and challenges and meeting them can increase your self-confidence. Exercise can increase your self-esteem, your appearance and your self-worth.
- Distraction. During the state of depression, it is convenient to dwell on the negatives. Dwelling on the negatives encroach one's ability to solve problems. Exercise can help the focus away from unpleasant thoughts to more pleasurable thoughts.
- Interactions. Depression can lead to isolation. Therefore that can make your condition worse. Being physically active offers the chance to meet and to socialize with others.
- Healthy. Exercise is a way of doing something positive to manage and cope with depression.
Dell Jeanty CPT, BS, NASM-CES is a Washington DC certified Personal Trainer and who has successfully trained a number of clients for number of years.
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