Exercise & Mental Health: Creating Healthy Habits
We live in a world where science and emotion can now go hand in hand with more understanding one what and why people feel things; with that revelation we have more insight into depression than ever. Interestingly enough, we often forget that the way we take care of ourselves physically can directly affect the way we feel mentally. I personally struggled with situational depression a little over a year ago and I landed in a deep struggle with hopelessness that I couldn't manage to shake. As time went by, I sought help and was regularly seeing a counselor; she advised that she thought I had situational depression.
To provide a little back story, I had landed a job with a well known insurance company and I was so excited as I felt like a finally found my career and was settling into adulthood. This was big for me as I was struggling with figuring out my future and would often go back and forth. About a year into the job I was working nearly 60 hours and overwhelmed, it was a good job but not the right job for me. I started feeling sad and lonely as my social life had become basically non-existent. When I did manage to find time to spend with family or friends, I lacked energy and constantly felt mentally drained. All of theses little things just continued to add up, I was always fatigued, I didn't have the energy to do my makeup or even do basic chores and errands, I was moody and sad constantly, I often felt like I was hopeless and I felt like my thoughts were so clouded. After my counselor advised that I was situational depression, she advised that it was a good time to consider taking anti-depressants. This personally, just didn't quite seem right for me, I felt like once it was labeled I had a little more insight and it was time to re-evaluate things and look into other treatments of depression. After doing some research I learned that exercise was a great way to combat depression and with that, I forced myself to make it a habit and finally began feeling like the clouds had been lifted and I finally had some clarity. One wouldn't think that exercise impacts us mentally, however when you take a little bit of time out of your day, focus on exercise for 30 minutes or more, you're improving your mental health and the effects it has on dealing with depression.
It's important to establish who is affected by depression before digging deeper into what is; we often forget how common it is. It is easy to disregard depression as it is estimated that According to the World Health Organization: "Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, an estimated 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease." This is a lot of people who are having feelings of sadness; another thing that the World Heath Organization reminds us is that women often have a higher rate of depression. There can be many factors that causes more woman are diagnosed with depression, women are more likely to report depression symptoms than men, some people also say it could be due to biological factors. If we stop and think about it, approximately 1 out of 10 Americans are affected by depression. This also is not taking into consideration that a higher percentage of depression as a whole does not seek treatment for depression, so if we consider that there are people who knowingly have depression and don't seek help, there are most likely people who have depression without realizing it.
Now that we know who and how many are affected by depression, we can clearly define it. The Mayo Clinic as best defines depression:
"Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.".
This definition best described the feelings I was dealing with through my situational depression. My day-to-day life because hard and took too much energy when I was feeling like I didn't have any energy to begin with. The reason all of these feelings of sadness came to light is because of an imbalance of chemicals in the neurotransmitter in the brain.
Now that it's been established who it affects and however it affects us, it is important to consider different treatments. Therapy is key when it comes to not only being diagnosed properly but it is also a wonderful tool to assist with working through the treatment. We commonly see the go to in treatment for depression is antidepressants; what an antidepressant does is balance out the imbalances in the neurotransmitters. However, while there is medication than can help, it isn't the option for everyone, myself included. In my research, there were many alternative options in treating depression, there was meditation yoga, massage therapy, faith/religion and even exercise.
I've done yoga, felt I have a strong connection to my faith but one thing I never really focused on was exercise. I committed to exercising for 21 days; this was in my head because I had heard that is how long it creates a habit. It truly became a habit, I found myself feeling better within a week and my thought seemed so much clearer which caused so many life changes for the better. According to the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise states that "physical activity may give women and extra edge in warding off depression" (Sifferlin). The article goes on to remind us that moderate-intensity exercise not only helps to prevent depression; it can also be used to assist in treating depression.
Additionally, Harvard Heath doctor, Michael Craig Miller M.D. shows us through studies that dividing four groups of people with depression diagnosis that the people who solely exercised for four weeks along with an other group who exercised and took medication reduced their symptoms significantly in comparison to the other two groups who either did nothing to treat their depression or were just taking antidepressants. The study also went on the remind us the importance of treating depression, no matter the chosen method to seek results. This is due to the study showing us that if sticking with a treatment seven out of ten people completely lifted their depression. The Wall Street Journal issued an article by Kevin Helliker, "Yet Another Reason to Go to the Gym: How Exercise Can Help Fight Depression", calling out some antidepressant manufacturers, stating that it was a $10 billion dollar industry and a similar study of dividing up groups and showing just how effective exercise is. The article reminds us that exercise 30 minutes a day, six days a week is the amount the Federal Government recommends for the American people. The article also went on to note that "Between 20% and 30% od depression patients don't respond to medication after a year of taking it" (Helliker), however exercise has physically and mental effects through ones lifespan.
The reason that exercise or other physical activity helps is similar to the reason antidepressants work, it is all about balancing out the chemicals that our body is producing. When we exercise we are creating endorphins. According to Eric Shamus and Gilliam Cohen the writers of the Internet Journal of Allied Heath Sciences and Practice's article "Depressed, Low Self-Esteem: What Can Exercise Do For You?" explains that endorphins or "endogenous morphine" are in scientific terms opioid neuropeptides. While working out it is causing a reaction in our central nervous system that creates pharmacological activity. To sum this up in layman's terms, when we exercise we create chemicals called endorphins that work directly with the receptors in our brain that ultimately reduces your perception of pain. To sum up endorphins even further, exercising creates endorphins and endorphins make you happy. Pretty simple when you think about it, exercise makes you happier.
It's important to also touch on making exercise a habit in order to effectively treat depression. In fact, the Journal of Preventative Medicine suggests the importance of exercising at least 30 minutes a day for six days a week to ideally combat depression. That only adds up to three hours a week or getting out and doing something active. Taking a walk, going to the gym, swimming, yoga, aerobics class, the list can go on and on. It is important to consider the importance of being informed not only about physical activity but taking away the stigma behind depression. Depression is a mental disorder however it is so common that it is important for people to have a deep understanding of the chemical imbalances it causes mentally as it directly affects us physically. In order to make exercise a habit, it would be beneficial to instill exercise and it's importance in youth. Just imagine the benefits, not only reducing youth diagnosed with depression but also helping with preventing other health ailments such as diabetes and obesity. Harriet Alexander wrote in The Sydney Morning Herald that creating healthy habits at a younger age helps overall improve the lives of youth inter adulthood. It's established that people of all ages are affected by depression and exercise can help so if we provide these tools to youth, he are helping to further combat depression and even reduce the overall people who are affected by depression.
Throughout my research, if there is anything that I took away, it was how many people it affected while it isn't always something that is talked about it is much more common than we think. While there is studies from the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, or the Journal of Preventative Medicine or even Harvard Help, taking care of our bodies, whether working from the outside in or the inside out, out physical health directly correlates with our mental health. This is all the more reason to be proactive now, no matter the age. When we have the persistent feelings of sadness and turn to physically being active, we inadvertently help our bodies heal chemically. One wouldn't think that exercise impacts us mentally, however when you take a little bit out of your day, focus on exercise for 30 minutes or more daily you're improving you mental health and the effects it has on dealing with depression. I am thankful to not only do research that affirms this, but personal experience that aligns with exercise as an alterative treatment of depression as I no longer have symptoms of depression, all thanks counseling and more importantly, exercise.
Citations:
Alexander, Harriet "Early exercise pays off for kids" The Sydney Morning Herald. N.p., 10 October 2015. Print.
Helliker, Kevin. "Yet Another Reason to Go to the Gym: How Exercise Can Help Fight Depression" Wall Street Journal. N.p., 10 May 2005. Print.
Merritt, Richard. "Study: Exercise Has Long-Lasting Effect on Depression." Duke Today. Duke University, 22 Sept. 2000. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Miller M.D., Michael Craig. "Understanding Depression - Harvard Health." Harvard Health. Harvard University, 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Shamus, Eric, and Gillian Cohen. "Depressed, Low Self-Esteem: What Can Exercise Do For You?" by Eric Shamus and Gillian Cohen. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 1 Apr. 2009. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Sifferlin, Alexandra. "Exercise May Prevent Depression-Not Just Alleviate It." Time.com. N.p., `19 February 2015. Web.
Worsnop, Richard. "Do Young Americans Get Enough Exercise?" CQ Researcher. 26 Sept. 1997. P 843-64. Print.
We live in a world where science and emotion can now go hand in hand with more understanding one what and why people feel things; with that revelation we have more insight into depression than ever. Interestingly enough, we often forget that the way we take care of ourselves physically can directly affect the way we feel mentally. I personally struggled with situational depression a little over a year ago and I landed in a deep struggle with hopelessness that I couldn't manage to shake. As time went by, I sought help and was regularly seeing a counselor; she advised that she thought I had situational depression.
To provide a little back story, I had landed a job with a well known insurance company and I was so excited as I felt like a finally found my career and was settling into adulthood. This was big for me as I was struggling with figuring out my future and would often go back and forth. About a year into the job I was working nearly 60 hours and overwhelmed, it was a good job but not the right job for me. I started feeling sad and lonely as my social life had become basically non-existent. When I did manage to find time to spend with family or friends, I lacked energy and constantly felt mentally drained. All of theses little things just continued to add up, I was always fatigued, I didn't have the energy to do my makeup or even do basic chores and errands, I was moody and sad constantly, I often felt like I was hopeless and I felt like my thoughts were so clouded. After my counselor advised that I was situational depression, she advised that it was a good time to consider taking anti-depressants. This personally, just didn't quite seem right for me, I felt like once it was labeled I had a little more insight and it was time to re-evaluate things and look into other treatments of depression. After doing some research I learned that exercise was a great way to combat depression and with that, I forced myself to make it a habit and finally began feeling like the clouds had been lifted and I finally had some clarity. One wouldn't think that exercise impacts us mentally, however when you take a little bit of time out of your day, focus on exercise for 30 minutes or more, you're improving your mental health and the effects it has on dealing with depression.
It's important to establish who is affected by depression before digging deeper into what is; we often forget how common it is. It is easy to disregard depression as it is estimated that According to the World Health Organization: "Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, an estimated 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease." This is a lot of people who are having feelings of sadness; another thing that the World Heath Organization reminds us is that women often have a higher rate of depression. There can be many factors that causes more woman are diagnosed with depression, women are more likely to report depression symptoms than men, some people also say it could be due to biological factors. If we stop and think about it, approximately 1 out of 10 Americans are affected by depression. This also is not taking into consideration that a higher percentage of depression as a whole does not seek treatment for depression, so if we consider that there are people who knowingly have depression and don't seek help, there are most likely people who have depression without realizing it.
Now that we know who and how many are affected by depression, we can clearly define it. The Mayo Clinic as best defines depression:
"Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.".
This definition best described the feelings I was dealing with through my situational depression. My day-to-day life because hard and took too much energy when I was feeling like I didn't have any energy to begin with. The reason all of these feelings of sadness came to light is because of an imbalance of chemicals in the neurotransmitter in the brain.
Now that it's been established who it affects and however it affects us, it is important to consider different treatments. Therapy is key when it comes to not only being diagnosed properly but it is also a wonderful tool to assist with working through the treatment. We commonly see the go to in treatment for depression is antidepressants; what an antidepressant does is balance out the imbalances in the neurotransmitters. However, while there is medication than can help, it isn't the option for everyone, myself included. In my research, there were many alternative options in treating depression, there was meditation yoga, massage therapy, faith/religion and even exercise.
I've done yoga, felt I have a strong connection to my faith but one thing I never really focused on was exercise. I committed to exercising for 21 days; this was in my head because I had heard that is how long it creates a habit. It truly became a habit, I found myself feeling better within a week and my thought seemed so much clearer which caused so many life changes for the better. According to the Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise states that "physical activity may give women and extra edge in warding off depression" (Sifferlin). The article goes on to remind us that moderate-intensity exercise not only helps to prevent depression; it can also be used to assist in treating depression.
Additionally, Harvard Heath doctor, Michael Craig Miller M.D. shows us through studies that dividing four groups of people with depression diagnosis that the people who solely exercised for four weeks along with an other group who exercised and took medication reduced their symptoms significantly in comparison to the other two groups who either did nothing to treat their depression or were just taking antidepressants. The study also went on the remind us the importance of treating depression, no matter the chosen method to seek results. This is due to the study showing us that if sticking with a treatment seven out of ten people completely lifted their depression. The Wall Street Journal issued an article by Kevin Helliker, "Yet Another Reason to Go to the Gym: How Exercise Can Help Fight Depression", calling out some antidepressant manufacturers, stating that it was a $10 billion dollar industry and a similar study of dividing up groups and showing just how effective exercise is. The article reminds us that exercise 30 minutes a day, six days a week is the amount the Federal Government recommends for the American people. The article also went on to note that "Between 20% and 30% od depression patients don't respond to medication after a year of taking it" (Helliker), however exercise has physically and mental effects through ones lifespan.
The reason that exercise or other physical activity helps is similar to the reason antidepressants work, it is all about balancing out the chemicals that our body is producing. When we exercise we are creating endorphins. According to Eric Shamus and Gilliam Cohen the writers of the Internet Journal of Allied Heath Sciences and Practice's article "Depressed, Low Self-Esteem: What Can Exercise Do For You?" explains that endorphins or "endogenous morphine" are in scientific terms opioid neuropeptides. While working out it is causing a reaction in our central nervous system that creates pharmacological activity. To sum this up in layman's terms, when we exercise we create chemicals called endorphins that work directly with the receptors in our brain that ultimately reduces your perception of pain. To sum up endorphins even further, exercising creates endorphins and endorphins make you happy. Pretty simple when you think about it, exercise makes you happier.
It's important to also touch on making exercise a habit in order to effectively treat depression. In fact, the Journal of Preventative Medicine suggests the importance of exercising at least 30 minutes a day for six days a week to ideally combat depression. That only adds up to three hours a week or getting out and doing something active. Taking a walk, going to the gym, swimming, yoga, aerobics class, the list can go on and on. It is important to consider the importance of being informed not only about physical activity but taking away the stigma behind depression. Depression is a mental disorder however it is so common that it is important for people to have a deep understanding of the chemical imbalances it causes mentally as it directly affects us physically. In order to make exercise a habit, it would be beneficial to instill exercise and it's importance in youth. Just imagine the benefits, not only reducing youth diagnosed with depression but also helping with preventing other health ailments such as diabetes and obesity. Harriet Alexander wrote in The Sydney Morning Herald that creating healthy habits at a younger age helps overall improve the lives of youth inter adulthood. It's established that people of all ages are affected by depression and exercise can help so if we provide these tools to youth, he are helping to further combat depression and even reduce the overall people who are affected by depression.
Throughout my research, if there is anything that I took away, it was how many people it affected while it isn't always something that is talked about it is much more common than we think. While there is studies from the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, or the Journal of Preventative Medicine or even Harvard Help, taking care of our bodies, whether working from the outside in or the inside out, out physical health directly correlates with our mental health. This is all the more reason to be proactive now, no matter the age. When we have the persistent feelings of sadness and turn to physically being active, we inadvertently help our bodies heal chemically. One wouldn't think that exercise impacts us mentally, however when you take a little bit out of your day, focus on exercise for 30 minutes or more daily you're improving you mental health and the effects it has on dealing with depression. I am thankful to not only do research that affirms this, but personal experience that aligns with exercise as an alterative treatment of depression as I no longer have symptoms of depression, all thanks counseling and more importantly, exercise.
Citations:
Alexander, Harriet "Early exercise pays off for kids" The Sydney Morning Herald. N.p., 10 October 2015. Print.
Helliker, Kevin. "Yet Another Reason to Go to the Gym: How Exercise Can Help Fight Depression" Wall Street Journal. N.p., 10 May 2005. Print.
Merritt, Richard. "Study: Exercise Has Long-Lasting Effect on Depression." Duke Today. Duke University, 22 Sept. 2000. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Miller M.D., Michael Craig. "Understanding Depression - Harvard Health." Harvard Health. Harvard University, 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Shamus, Eric, and Gillian Cohen. "Depressed, Low Self-Esteem: What Can Exercise Do For You?" by Eric Shamus and Gillian Cohen. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 1 Apr. 2009. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.
Sifferlin, Alexandra. "Exercise May Prevent Depression-Not Just Alleviate It." Time.com. N.p., `19 February 2015. Web.
Worsnop, Richard. "Do Young Americans Get Enough Exercise?" CQ Researcher. 26 Sept. 1997. P 843-64. Print.
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