We all know what running does for the body. Obviously, it burns fat. But running affects more than your physical state. It also does wonders for your mental state. Dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, “feel-good” chemicals, are released in your brain while exercising. For someone who is depressed, these chemical levels are rather low. Exercises like running temporarily raise these levels.
Routine running will make it so these levels stay higher on a daily basis, so yes, you can literally run out of depression. According to Dr. Belinda Newcomer the symptoms of depression are feelings of helplessness/hopelessness, a change in sleeping patterns (more or less), anger or irritability, frequent crying, a change in appetite, weight loss/gain, isolation, loss of energy, and reckless behavior.
When scientists discovered that low levels of neurotransmitters in the brain are common amongst depressed individuals, a class of antidepressants known as SSRIs were created to combat the mental condition. Fortunately, exercises like running can produce the same effects and may even be longer lasting. As reported by The Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, while major depressive disorder is linked to a decrease in neurotransmitter production, exercise actually promotes the growth of tryptophan, one of the building blocks of serotonin.
Clinical psychologist Keith Johnsguard explains what happens when you are inactive. “A failure to exercise regularly has a significant bearing on the odds of suffering encounters with insidious, lurking villains that we would all prefer to avoid: cardiovascular disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, to name a few. Those villains profoundly affect our mental health.”
Trail Runner Magazine posted findings from an older study regarding exercise and depression. “Researchers in a 1999 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine assigned 156 moderately depressed men and women to one of three groups. One group exercised, another took SSRI medication and the third exercised and took the medication. While medication took less time to reduce the symptoms of depression than did exercise, after 16 weeks there were no significant differences between the treatment groups. Further, at a 10-month follow-up, members of the exercise-only group had significantly lower rates of depression than those who had just taken medication or taken medication in combination with exercise.” Why is this study groundbreaking? It shows us that running is medicine – natural medicine.
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Besides the direct mitigating effects that exercise has on depression, it is also important to note that exercises like running yield physical results which in turn also fight depression. Think about it. If you do not like the way you look, then you won’t be happy in general. And who is more important in the judgement of how you look than you? Running not only sends “happy” signals to the brain, it also gives you the product – you – to look at in the mirror and approve of. Look at that beautiful person staring right back at you.
To incorporate running or more exercise into your life, Trail Runner Magazine suggests three steps to take. “Exercise everyday: Even with 15 minutes of exercise, your brain will get a much-needed boost of healthy neurochemical activity. If you can’t run, walk. Any physical activity helps. The same goes if you’re stuck indoors; squats, jumping jacks or even gentle stretching will jump start your neurotransmitters. Focus on your breathing. If you’re holding on to negative or depressed thoughts while you run, focus on your breath and those thoughts will fade away. Eat and hydrate well. Poor nutrition or hydration can lead to a negative feedback loop that makes you less likely to run and, in turn, more likely to feel anxious or depressed.”
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