Exercise is good for the body; but did you know it’s good for the mind as well? Another reason to let go of excuses, get out there and be active. Along with the well-known physical advantages to exercise, we know that being active increases our overall well-being, including our mood. Recent research has shown that moderate activity can help increase positive results in depression or anxiety treatment when medication alone could not (Mota-Pereira et al., 2011). Exercise may just be that missing ingredient to success. In addition to helping maintain a good mood, physical activity has been linked to reducing stress and anxiety (Smits et al., 2008) so consider adding 30 minutes of physical activity a day to a depression or anxiety treatment plan that has been developed with your Montreal psychologist. There are many free or cost-effective, enjoyable ways to carry it out. There’s something out there to meet every person’s individual interests and needs. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about how you can add more activity to your daily routine.
- Walking
- Swimming
- Team sports
- Yoga
- Cycling
- Running/Jogging
- Dancing
- Rock climbing
Depression is a serious mental health issue that affects many aspects of the day to day life. Exercise might just be the missing element you need to bring everything together and begin feeling better.
References
Smits, J.A.J., Berry, A.c., Rosenfield, D., Powers, B.M., Behar, E., Otto, M.W., (2008). Reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise. Depression and Anxiety, 25, 689-699.
Mota-Pereira, J., Silverio, J., Carvalho, S., Ribeiro, J.C., Fonte, D., Ramos, J., (2011). Moderate exercise improves depression parameters in treatment-resistant patients with major depressive disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 45, 1005–1011.
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