Depression is a prevalent issue in the United States, with 2023 statistics indicating that 29% of adults were diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives.[1] Depression can make a person experience feelings of sadness or hopelessness as well as feelings of isolation. These feelings can interfere with daily activities and make getting out of bed a chore. Besides various treatments, exercise has been proven to help alleviate depression symptoms and allow people to live healthy and productive lives. How does this happen? We’re going to explore the impact regular exercise can have on depression symptoms as well as how seeking depression treatment in Scottsdale at Healing Foundations Center can help.
How Exercise Can Alleviate Depression Symptoms
Reduce Stress
Exercise can help to reduce stress by taking your mind off your worries. Concentrating on activity can help to take you away from the negative thoughts that can lead to depression.[2]
Boost Endorphins
Feel-good endorphins are released when people exercise. Endorphins are the brain’s natural chemicals that work to improve their sense of well-being, which can help ease depression symptoms and other mental health conditions.
Increases Blood Flow & the Brain
Exercise also increases blood flow to the brain’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which influences motivation and mood and helps to battle depression. Exercise promotes changes in the brain and new activity patterns that promote calm and well-being.[3] It also helps to reduce inflammation.
Gain Confidence
By exercising, you can gain confidence that you’ve completed a task while taking steps to get healthy. Exercise can also help to improve body image. Feeling good about the way you look can help to reduce depression.
Promotes Social Activity
Exercising can provide the opportunity to be with others and socialize. Group exercise classes or simply going for a walk with a friend can help ease feelings of isolation. It can also give you time to talk to and meet new people while forming new friendships.
Helps You Sleep Better
A better night’s sleep is a benefit of exercising, which can also help your mental health. When you get enough sleep, your mind is calm and focused. When you’re not getting enough sleep, you can be irritable, leading to decreased activity and depression.
How to Incorporate Exercise into Daily Routines
Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the gym to be effective. One study has shown that even a 20-minute walk can help to reduce the risk of depression in adults.[4] This can make incorporating exercise into your daily routine easier. Perhaps you can take a walk during your lunch break or stroll through the neighborhood when you get home from work.
If you enjoy working out at the gym, try going before work to get it done and start your day off right. Studies show that exercising in the morning can give you more energy and increase overall activity throughout the day.[5] If you’re not a morning person, pack your gym bag so that you can go after work. Sometimes, it’s hard to get motivated to go back out when you get home.
Breaking up your exercise throughout the day is also a way to ensure that you get it in. For example, you can do 15 minutes in the morning and then another 15 minutes in the evening. This is helpful for people who may feel like they are too busy to do everything at once.
You can also look for creative ways to exercise while you do daily activities. As you put the groceries away, lift the jug of milk a couple of times as a weight. You can also take the stairs rather than the elevator at work. Rather than searching for the closest parking spot when you’re out, park further away to get some steps in.
If you live close enough to your job, consider walking or biking to work to get your daily exercise in. You’ll save gas money in the process! As you think about your daily routine, you’ll be surprised to see where you can sneak in some exercise.
Depression Treatment in Scottsdale at Healing Foundations Center
Healing Foundations Center has a team of dedicated professionals who provide depression treatment in Scottsdale, AZ. Our team assesses each patient to determine the proper course of treatment. Depression treatment can consist of a combination of therapy and medication. Therapy can be individual, in a group setting, or both. Many people thrive from a combination of both therapy methods.
Contact Healing Foundations Center to learn more about our comprehensive treatment programs to help people deal with their depression and learn how to manage symptoms to live a happy and successful life.
Sources:
[1] https://news.gallup.com/poll/505745/depression-rates-reach-new-highs.aspx
[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495
[3] https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm
[4] https://tilda.tcd.ie/
[5] https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/working-out-in-the-morning#benefits