4 ways exercise cures depression

You’re tired from a long day of hard work, because the boss has been giving you a hard time. The traffic’s bad, and you’re late to pick up the kids. If you’re continually stressed out, you can easily become depressed, which could lead to other health-related problems. But the good news is that you can ward off depression with regular exercise. Studies have shown that exercise is not only good for your physical fitness, it’s also beneficial for your mental health.

Depression is a symptom that causes low mood, low self-esteem, and a loss of interest in pleasurable activities. Some depression can be treated with medication and therapy but the results aren’t always successful. Other approaches are always being explored, and exercise is a cost-effective and efficient alternative. Here are some reasons exercise is good treatment for short-term depression.

Boosts self-esteem

When you’re not happy with the way you look, you will develop body image issues and low self-esteem. Exercising helps you get in shape and stay fit. When you do regular exercises, your muscle size increases, fat decreases, and your skin glows from the reduced toxicity in the body as a result of sweating during exercise. Once you feel better physically, you feel better mentally. For these reasons, exercise is a huge confidence booster.

Slows aging

We often feel more depressed as we age, due to the increase in our responsibilities and demands in life. Low testosterone levels from aging is another factor that contributes to age-related depression, especially in men. When you exercise, your testosterone levels increase, which helps reduce stress. Exercise also makes you feel and look younger – another benefit that everyone appreciates.

Improves sleep

Many people who take naps in the afternoon or the evening have trouble sleeping at night. But exercise prevents the need for daytime naps. Numerous studies have shown that exercise improves your sleep pattern. Exercise acts as a physical stressor to the body. After a healthy workout you will feel alert for the rest of the day, and sleep soundly at night.

Gives you more energy

If you’re the kind of person who rarely exercises, or moves around very little during the day, you will most likely feel tired from inactiveness. When you exercise, your body becomes more alert and active. Somes type of exercise, like cardio, will strengthen your heart and give you more stamina. In short, you will be able to exercise for longer periods as time goes by.

Exercise can ease depression to some extent, but most importantly you need to stay positive in life, whatever it throws at you. If you’re interested in taking up exercise as a way to beat the blues, contact us today and see how our programs can help.