5 Reasons Why Fighting Depression with Exercise is So Effective

It can be difficult to fight depression. Low mood, low motivation and negative thoughts all combine to push you into a vicious circle.

But there is help. Modern medications can help stabilize your mood. Counseling and psychotherapy help you find the origins of your depression and manage the triggers.

However, a very effective tool for fighting depression is often overlooked: exercise.

• Enhance your endorphins

Exercising releases chemicals in the brain that act on your neurotransmitters to enhance feelings of well-being and relaxation. Endorphins and endocannabinoids reduce the perception of pain, and can even create the famous ‘runner’s high’, a feeling of euphoria that comes with prolonged sessions of exercise. Pretty much the opposite of depression!

Exercise also strengthens your immune system and improves your cardiovascular health which makes you feel strong and healthy.

• Enhance your feelings of self-worth

Exercise provides an almost instant sense of achievement. You are active instead of passive. You are doing something that is good for you. You are taking steps (literally!) to improve your life. All very important in fighting depression.

And you may even see some positive results in your mirror or feel them in the improved strength of your muscles.

Exercise proves to you without a doubt that you can change yourself and change your life. Furthermore, if you can run, swim or lift weights, you are not a helpless victim of circumstances.

• Enjoy what you are doing right now

Exercise can take many forms.

Apart from the traditional gym-based activities that have the advantage of being easily accessible and structured to improve your fitness, there are many other options.

Yoga connects you with your breath and the sensations inside your body in the present moment.

Dancing adds music to exercise. In addition, it is an excellent way to open up your emotions and express them in a group or even in front of an audience.

Hiking and biking take you out into nature.

Even housework or yard work can be a form of exercise, particularly sweeping, mopping, or raking. You can enjoy the benefits of a clean and de-cluttered home afterwards!

Gardening combines exercise with creating a more inviting and pleasing environment for yourself and your family.

• Connect with a new community

When you are fighting depression, it can be very helpful to engage in group activities, such as team sports, yoga and aerobics classes or running clubs. It’s a chance to re-invent yourself and make new friends while engaged in an activity you enjoy. At the same time, these are very structured environments that don’t put too much stress on you if you suffer from social anxiety.

Working together towards a goal creates a sense of belonging and a sense of meaning. And don’t forget celebrating after winning a game or putting on a show.

Team sports can take you on away trips. Classes for yoga, dance, aerobics and many other activities are offered as weekend retreats. Hiking and biking can become long distance adventures.

• Create new patterns in your life

Depression manifests as a set of negative patterns of behavior.

You give up easily. You trap yourself in a circle of negative thoughts.  You stagnate and isolate yourself.

Exercise slowly opens up new patterns and creates a new way of life. You show up and give your body a chance to move. You learn new skills and start to look forward to the next hour, the next day.

And all the while, those lovely endorphins are working their magic…

Finally, many large scale studies have shown the benefits of exercise in fighting depression, both in combination with medication or on its own. The long term effects of exercise in fighting depression are, in fact, even better than the effects of medication.