08/15/2023
➡️Depression can be extremely painful to experience and exercise, working out at the gym has been proven to help! Symptoms of Depression include feelings of sadness and emptiness, feelings of hopelessness, and fatigue.
The most obvious treatments involve medication and counselling – and while these are important pieces of a treatment plan, I think a lot of people are unaware of how helpful exercise can be when it comes to alleviating depressive symptoms.
The question then is, do you need to engage in a certain type of exercise in order to benefit? There is some evidence that aerobic exercise at a moderate intensity can be regarded as an effective treatment of mild and moderate depression, and that the effects of low-intensity exercise are not as significant.
However, there are many studies that have found the effect of both aerobic and non aerobic exercise to be comparable when it comes to improving mood. Cardio and weight training are equally effective.
Im not saying that exercise will cure your depression but it helps and by going to the gym or engaging in general exercise you will feel a lot better. A caveat though that it should work in tandem with medication and therapy ❤️
References: Deslandes, A. et al. (2009) Exercise and Mental Health: Many Reasons to Move, Neuropsychobiology, 59:191–198
Craft, L. L., & Perna, F. M. (2004). The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed. Primary care companion to the Journal of clinical psychiatry, 6(3), 104–111.