“Exercising for just 30 minutes may significantly reduce symptoms of depression and increase the benefit received from therapy sessions at least temporarily, according to two recent studies from Iowa State University (ISU).

“Exercise is known to be of benefit to depression,” said Dr. Alex Dimitriu, double board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine and BrainfoodMD. “In my practice, for anyone with either depression or anxiety, I recommend SEMM – optimizing Sleep, Exercise, Mediterranean Diet, and Meditation – daily.”

He noted that exercise could benefit cognition and depression by boosting blood flow to the brain and increasing the growth of new neurons, which might help “rewire,” a brain stuck in a depression.

Patricia Haynes, PhD, an associate professor at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, said that increased blood flow and oxygenation due to exercise can affect neurotransmitters and “other chemicals that regulate alertness, anxiety, reward, and pain.””

My Takeaways From This Article

1. Exercise has so many physical benefits and shown to drastically increase the quality of your physical health in multiple realms such as cardiovascular health and strength. However, its effects on psychological health is often underrated and less often talked about.

2. This article details a research done by certain scientists who show that exercise has shown to have a drastic increase in positive moods for people who have suffered or suffer from Major Depressive Disorder. The results also show that people with general reported depression benefiting from a 30 minute exercise session.

3. The mechanism seems to be unclear and uncertain but many researchers have proposed that elevated oxygen and heartbeat levels may cause the brain to adapt and be more alert from a state in which it was depressed. Other theories suggest that hormones released during exercise have a positive effect in increasing happiness and promoting healthy brain connections.

Full article is here!

Have you ever noticed a change in mood or emotion after exercising? What are some benefits of exercise that you’ve noticed?

#Exercise #Mental Health #Depression