Break A Sweat To Ease Depression

Anti-depressants aren't the only solution when youre feeling blue. Research shows that exercise can improve brain function and mood

- Jill Schildhouse

If you’ve been feeling blue, chances are exercise is one of the furthest things from your mind — it’s natural to seek out the comfort of a Netflix binge on the couch to take your mind off things, or to spend a little extra time snoozing in bed. But movement, from taking a walk to resistance training, is being hailed as a safe, nondrug alternative for easing signs of depression and other mood disorders.

“Exercise is good not only for the body, but research is showing it has an extraordinary capacity to improve brain function and mood,” says Robert Zembroski, DC, DACNB, MS, author of Rebuild: Five Proven Steps to Move from Diagnosis to Recovery and Be Healthier Than Before (Harper Wave, 2018). “From cognitive decay in the aging brain to alleviating depression and anxiety, exercise can improve brain health for a lifetime.”

THE SCIENCE BEHIND SWEATING

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, nearly one in 12 U.S. adults reports having depression. And while it may seem easier to choose mood-altering prescription medications, they often come with an endless list of potentially dangerous side effects.

“Exercise represents a cost-effective and easily implemented intervention for depression with no real side effects,” says Dr. Zembroski. “For instance, data out of Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports demonstrate that walking showed far greater improvement in depression, anxiety, and stress-related symptoms for those who regularly walked than for those who didn’t.”