Exercise is as effective as antidepressants in some cases.
The effect of exercise
Exercising sets off a biological cascade of events that leads to many health advantages, akin to protection against heart disease and diabetes, improved sleep, and lower blood pressure. High-intensity exercise releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins, leading to a “runner's high” that joggers report. But for many of us, the true value is in low-intensity exercise over time. This kind of activity stimulates the discharge of proteins called neurotrophic or growth aspects, which cause nerve cells to grow and make recent connections. Improved brain function makes you are feeling higher. “In people who are suffering from depression, neuroscientists have found that the hippocampus—the region within the brain that helps regulate mood—is smaller. Exercise helps the expansion of neurons within the hippocampus, the nerve cells within the hippocampus. improves connections, which helps relieve depression,” explains Dr. Miller
The challenge of getting began
Depression manifests physically, causing sleep disturbances, decreased energy, changes in appetite, body aches, and increased pain perception, all of which lead to reduced motivation to exercise. It's a troublesome cycle to interrupt, but Dr. Miller says getting up and moving a little bit will help. “Start the day with a five-minute walk or any activity you enjoy. Soon, five minutes of activity will become 10, and 10 will become 15.”
What are you able to do?
It's not clear how long it's good to exercise, or how intensely, before nerve cell improvement can reverse depression symptoms. You should start feeling higher inside a number of weeks of starting exercise. But it is a long-term treatment, not a one-time treatment. “Choose something you can sustain over time,” advises Dr. Miller. “The key is to make it something you love and something you'll want to keep doing.”
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