Exercise Can Be More Effective Than Medicines For Overcoming Depression And Anxiety
As per a recent study, high-intensity exercise like HIIT has the greatest benefits to mental health. We already knew that dopamine is released when we engage in physical exercise. Dopamine is is responsible for allowing you to feel pleasure, satisfaction and motivation.
Now, it seems physical exercise can be more powerful tool to combat depression and anxiety which is increasingly common in urban sedentary lifestyles.
Of course, this does not mean you should stop your medicines if you are struggling with mental health issues. As always, there is a combination of elements affecting and influencing your mood and temperament.
Regarding physical exercise — any exercise seems to have a positive impact on your mental health. Also, this is not just for mental health patients — you should consider exercise as a preventive measure against mental fatigue, stress, anger, depression and anxiety.
The study published in British Journal of Sports Medicine last month mentions that even less strenous exercise such as yoga will have a positive effect. However, the study found that popular high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts had the biggest impact on depression.
Another discovery was that it was not essential to workout everyday. The people who exercised for less than 2.5 hours each week had slightly better mental health results than people who exercised more than that.
So, that is all the more welcoming news for beginners who wish to try physical activity for dealing with depression.
It is of course common among people with severe anxiety or depression to struggle to find motivation for exercising. Just get out of bed and walk around for as little as two minutes a day and you will see an improvement than doing nothing at all. Exercising with friends or family also gains motivation. You don't need to plan it out and make a schedule. Just take a walk instead of getting on the bus.
Most importantly, do some physical activity you enjoy.
REFER: Article by Ethan Freedman at Fatherly.com
https://www.fatherly.com/health/exercise-better-than-meds-depression-anxiety-study-finds
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