Working Out: Your All-Natural Anti-Depressant
Why buy Prozac or Zoloft to treat depression, when all you need is a comfortable pair of sweatpants, some good sneakers, and a gym membership?
A simple jog outside or 30 minutes on an exercise bike can do wonders to treat mild to moderate depression, including:
- Increased energy
- Increased self esteem
- Exercise distracts you from current problems that are swimming around in your mind
- Exercise gives you more control over your life
- It can be an amazing way to work out pent up anger and frustration
- It can make you feel physically better as exercise is good for your health
- Reduce stress building up in your system
- Will help you to sleep better at night
When someone is depressed, the last thing they have is energy, especially for exercise, but get past the lack of energy and the fatigue and keep the exercise simple.
- Don’t go immediately to train for a 5k – start small with a simple jog around your local neighborhood. Set a simple goal – today you will run for 15 minutes and next week, you will try for a 20 minute jog.
- Don’t do an exercise you don’t like. If you hate running, don’t go running. Try going for a bike ride instead. When you are depressed, it is already hard enough to find things you like to do – doing an exercise you don’t like to do might not get you out of your depressed mood.
- Try to get friends to go out with you when you exercise – the company can boost your mood.
- Whenever you can, go outdoors. A little sunshine can do wonders for treating depression.