Exercise and Depression
What is Depression?
Depression is a mood disorder that severely affects a person’s daily living. In order to be diagnosed with depression, the individual must experience symptoms lasting more than 2 weeks. Depression can develop during a certain time period such as postpartum depression, where the mother experiences depression during pregnancy or after birth. Seasonal affective disorder is another type of depression that affects an individual during a certain season, typically during winter months.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of depression include loss of interest in life, recurrent thoughts of suicide, fatigue, insomnia, excessive sleeping, noticeable weight changes, etc.
Exercise can help!
Study shows that regular exercise can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercising releases endorphins which are also known as feel good hormones that can improve how you are feeling. Exercising for a minimum of 2 days a week for 20 minutes can decrease depressive symptoms. Types of exercise includes aerobic exercises such as running, swimming, cycling and even yoga!
Prevention and Treatment
-Antidepressant medication is often administered to treat depression.
-Other treatments include psychotherapy or face to face sessions with a mental health professional. Therapy can be provided in forms of videos, online, and in person.
-Find ways to manage your stress
-Pay attention to early signs and symptoms of depression for early treatment.
-Remember, it is always important to take care of your physical and mental health!
For more information regarding depression, visit American Psychiatric Association and LiveScience.