Manage Depression & Anxiety With These 3 Exercises
Manage Depression & Anxiety With These 3 Exercises
Working out is a great contributor to keeping a healthy mind and body. However, the first thing that we tend to drop off our schedule if we are sick or tired or overwhelmed is that trip to the gym or early morning walk around the block to get the day started.
If you suffer from depression & anxiety you might want to consider managing their symptoms with these 3 exercises.
Anxiety and depression are increasingly a common ailment in modern society. Blame it on our fast-paced lifestyle and increased stress.
Numerous studies, however, have shown that exercise is key to managing depression and anxiety. Manage depression & anxiety with these 3 exercises as symptoms often improve with exercise.
Regular exercise releases feel-good endorphins and other brain chemicals that can enhance your sense of well-being. It also takes your mind off worries so you can get away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed depression and anxiety.
Obviously, it’s always best to consult your GP about your mental state, but it never hurt to do start exercising. Research points to the benefits of these 3 types of exercise helping manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.
1. Walking in nature
Being out in nature, and absorbing the rays of the sun makes us happy. Sunshine boosts levels of serotonin – the body’s natural happy hormone.
We get 90-95% of our vitamin D from the sun. Vitamin D, essential for absorbing calcium, keeping our bones healthy, and for protecting against serious chronic diseases later in life such as osteoporosis, Type II diabetes, multiple sclerosis and many common cancers.
In a 2009 study published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. Japanese researchers conducting this study sent participants to either a wooded or urban area. They found that those who’d taken a 20-minute walk in the woods had lower stress hormone levels than the participants who had been in a city.
Another study yet, affirms that being in nature improves mental health. This study discovered that those participants who went for a nature walk benefited by lowering levels of anxiety and improving memory.
2. Running
Running is not everybody’s favourite sport. But it sure has many benefits even if you run for a short time. It can increase your life expectancy, torches calories and reduces food cravings.
Running outdoors has the added benefit of being in nature, out in the sun and the quiet surroundings. A 2006 review published in the Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience, researchers found evidence that running, can act on the brain as antidepressants do. Alleviating major depressive disorder by promoting the growth of new neurons in the brain.
3. Yoga
In a 2007 study, participants who took yoga classes reported experiencing significant reductions in depression, anger, anxiety, and neurotic symptoms. The findings led the researcher to recommend yoga as a complementary treatment for depression. A similar study in 2012, reviewed another yoga group and again found that subjects experienced a significant decrease in anxiety and depression symptoms.
What is great with taking up yoga is; it’s good for core strengthening and stretching but also great for focus breathing. Focus breathing slows and relaxes the mind.
There are plenty of good reasons to be physically active. With many research pointing to the benefit of exercise in the brain. The psychological and physical benefits of exercise improve mood and relax the mind, which ultimately helps with alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
H/T Health
