EXERCISE AND MENTAL HEALTH
I spend a couple hours during the week pouring through research articles, trying to keep myself up to date on the latest research related to mental health. There is always at least one new article I come across that focuses on the link between physical activity and mental health. The most recent study I came across was from a paper in the journal Depression and Anxiety by a team of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital who found that “increased levels of physical activity can significantly reduce the odds of depression, even among people who are genetically predisposed to the condition”. Which in laymen terms means that those who were active even for a couple hours a week had lower odds of experiencing depression. Even those who may be more biologically vulnerable to developing depression were less likely to be diagnosed with depressions if they were physically active. Now this isn’t necessarily mind blowing stuff. We already know this. We have been told time and time again about the benefits of exercise, but studies like these are important in reinforcing this knowledge.
One fascinating finding from the study was that physically activity was found to have the potential to “neutralize” the risk of future depressive episodes by individuals who were more genetically vulnerable. This means that we are not a victim to our genes and that even though we may have a biological vulnerability to depression, that does not mean that there is nothing we can do to address that
vulnerability.
The study also found that both high intensity exercises (e.g. aerobic exercise, weight lifting, long distance running) and low intensity exercises (e.g. yoga and stretching) are both linked to decreased odds of depression. So if high intensity cardio is not your thing that does not meant that you can’t reap the benefits of exercise. They found that an added four hours of activity per week could result in a 17% reduction in the odds of a new episode of depression.
Okay, so now that we have this information, what do we do with it? It can be difficult to find the motivation to start exercising. I find that the best way to start a new routine is to start small, in face that’s probably the best way to begin. When you’re feeling plagued by depression, setting over the top, lofty goals can leave you feeling more hopeless if you fall short. Setting small achievable goals and building your way up from there will ensure that you start to feel success and not feel discouraged. Start off with activities you enjoy.
If you don’t like going to the gym, uh don’t do that! Go with a friend who has a dog and throw a Frisbee around, walk laps in the mall, stretch while you’re watching television. You can start an activity like gardening or a home DIY project, which can have the added benefit of leaving you with a sense of accomplishment. It could also help to build in small rewards like a relaxing bubble bath after a workout, a
yummy fruit smooth, or an extra episode of your favorite television show. You know what works best for you, and it might take a bit of trial and error to get things going but the key is to keep trying until you find the routine that works for you.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/11/physical-activity-may-protect-those-at-risk-for-depression/
