You Can Walk Away From Depression

Exercise is essential for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. It has long been touted as a way to maintain physical fitness and help prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other diseases. A growing amount of research also shows that exercise can help improve mental and emotional conditions like depression.

A study conducted at the Duke University Medical Center showed that exercise works at least as well as Zoloft in treating clinical depression and preventing it from returning. Indeed, numerous studies examining the relationship between exercise and depression have repeatedly shown that exercise is as helpful in reducing the symptoms of depression as are antidepressants, individual psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy and group therapy.

Why Exercise Helps
Exercise eases depression by raising the levels of certain mood-enhancing neurotransmitters in the brain. It boosts endorphin levels, which make you "feel good." Exercise also has a calming effect. It releases muscle tension while lowering the stress hormone cortisol. In addition, those who exercise also seem to develop a greater sense of mastery over their condition, gaining a sense of personal empowerment and accomplishment. They feel more self-confident and have higher self-esteem.

Exercise Works Quickly
Overall, research suggests that it only takes 30 minutes of exercise a day for as little as 3 to 5 weeks to significantly improve symptoms of depression. However, smaller amounts of activity have been shown to improve mood in the short term. In fact, one study showed that the improvement in mood begins just 10 minutes after you start exercising and continues to get better for up to 20 minutes after you stop. In another study, participants walked on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day for 10 days, and their symptoms of depression improved. Most people who are taking an antidepressant usually don't notice any change in mood until at least 2 to 3 weeks after they start taking the medication.

The Benefits of Exercise Last
Many follow-up studies of the effect of exercise on mood show that its benefits last for months. One study in which participants walked daily for 7 weeks found that the decrease in depressive symptoms and improvement in vigor continued for months. Another study, which compared exercise, medication and exercise plus medication found that participants who exercised without medication had lasting improvements after 6 months. When exercise was continued, the participants experienced even greater ongoing improvements. Overall, these results indicate that medication may produce faster relief, but exercise produces long-term benefits with fewer side effects.