Depression is a condition that has to be addressed if you suffer from it. It does not just go away on its own. You have to be willing to admit that you suffer from depression and be willing to do something about it. While there are any number of options that you can follow, from prescribed antidepressants to talking to a professional counselor, you might just want to try getting out of it on your own. A great exercise routine and lifestyle can help you do this in many ways.
The Immediate Benefits of Exercise
The most immediate benefit of exercise is just that you are going to physically feel better, even if you do not feel better mentally or emotionally. You will feel cleaner due to sweat. You are going to be stronger, more agile and have more energy. Depending on the intensity of your workouts, you are even going to possibly discover the wonderful world of endorphins: a safe, natural and healthy high.
Another benefit of working out routinely is that you have a chance to get outdoors. Natural sunlight on your skin is a known mood booster. You can enjoy fresh air and sometimes cool breezes. You do not even have to necessarily sweat heavily in order to feel better. Find a nearby park and walk it at dusk or dawn. Choose paths through neighborhoods you are not in every day just for a change of scenery. It does not take much to get just a little relief from the rut and routine that is your life.
Exercise is sometimes a social activity. Granted, if you are battling depression, you might feel like some alone time. That fills a psychological need and exercising alone is healthier than moping around at home alone. Still, try to occasionally exercise with someone else. As you both work out, you will likely talk about the things bothering each of you and you will both feel better after a good social workout.
Exercise for Depression – Exercise
Once you have been working out for a while, even gently just to feel better, you will start feeling better about yourself. You might have lost five pounds, or maybe you can put on an old pair of jeans. You have a little more energy to do something you like on the weekend or in an evening. In as much as it only take losing five or ten pounds to feel better when you are overweight, it only takes a little bit of something good in your life to start escaping the psychological weight that is depression.
When you workout regularly, your body is going to start wanting healthier foods and better nutrition. You will find yourself using the stove more and the microwave less, as well as staying hydrated by drinking more water than soda or alcohol. This is a secondary effect of exercise that will leave you feeling utterly amazing.
Depression is actually something you can walk off, as long as you exercise gently and gradually. Do it to feel good, or just to find a little relief each day. In just a few short weeks, your depression will still be there, but it will be gently losing its hold on you.