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Exercise to Beat the Blues
Staying Active Lifts Our Spirits by Priscilla Goudreau-Santos
Depression affects about one in 10 adults each year and nearly twice as many women as men, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Although exercise may feel like the last thing you want to do when you are feeling blue, it’s a sure way to climb out of the morass and achieve a brighter outlook, higher energy levels and good heart health.
“I
n winter months, people get sluggish in many ways, and the resulting buildup of toxins can make them feel achy. They often inter- pret their fatigue and tension as depres- sion, but that’s not necessarily so,” says Carolyn Dean, a pioneering physician, naturopath, nutritionist and author, with 25 years of experience treating
diet and health issues.
“The best, most natural way to pull toxins out of the body is through move- ment,” she advises. Becoming active is a good way to both lift depression and promote overall health, including a healthy heart, one of the largest and most vital muscles in the body. Getting off the couch often begins
by identifying what you enjoy and will be most likely to continue doing. Set- ting reasonable goals is important. If you haven’t exercised in awhile or feel guilty for taking time out of an already busy day, try starting with a five-minute workout, and then increase the dura- tion as you get stronger and feel better. Dean suggests that one good way to start is by walking and using a pedometer, or climbing stairs with a step-counter (10,000 steps a day is a reachable goal). You can make a game of competing against yourself. Invite friends to walk with you or create your own walking club to help stay on track with a cardio-exercise routine. Walking your dog or bor- rowing a neighbor’s pooch for a stroll around the neighborhood is fun. Inject additional movement into daily rou- tines via gardening, washing the car or playing with children.
Multiple Benefits
Although the scientific links between exercise and reduced anxiety and de- pression aren’t entirely known, it is clear that working out can help anyone relax and feel better. The Mayo Clinic reports that exercise helps ease depression by releasing feel good brain chemicals in the body; reducing immune system chemicals; increasing body temperature; boosting self-confidence; taking thoughts off of worries; and promoting social interaction, thus equipping individuals to better cope with life’s ups and downs.
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