[ in focus ] B Y T A S T E F O R L I F E S T A F F
move to lift your mood! exercise is linked to better mental health
A new study caught our eye a couple of months ago. Taking part in yoga classes—in person or online—was shown to be an effective remedy for treating work-related stress. That research added to the growing pool of studies demonstrating that regular exercise helps relieve depression, ease anxiety, alleviate fatigue, and improve quality of life.
Exercise v. medication In a review of more than a dozen studies, exercise was shown to have a moderate to large antidepressant effect. In one of those studies, a group of adults with major depressive disorder either took the prescription drug Zoloft, or did a course of aerobic exercise, or used both therapies for four months. At the end of the study, all groups saw significant improvement, and those who only exercised had fewer relapses than the medication group after 10 months. In other studies, walking 20 to 40 minutes three times a week for six weeks eased overall depressive symptoms in men and women better than attending a social support group. Improvements in mood were seen in people with major depression after just 10 days of aerobic exercise. 20 N O V E M B E R
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Be consistent Keep your exercise routine up to maintain those benefits: One study found that stopping exercise induced depressive symptoms, particularly for women. Exercise not only lifts people bogged down by depression but also calms those with anxiety. While vigorous, aerobic, and high-intensity exercise can help here too, also consider calming practices that incorporate mind-body balance such as yoga, t’ai chi, and exercising outdoors. ● SELECTED SOURCES “Chronic heart failure and depression” by C. Herrmann-Lingen, Internist (Berl), 3/20/18 • “Effect of exercise versus cognitive behavioural therapy or no intervention on anxiety, depression, fitness, and quality of life . . .” by L. Morris et al., Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 1/16/18 • “Effect of tai chi versus aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia . . .” by C. Wang et al., British Medical Journal, 3/21/18 • “Exercise interventions on healthrelated quality of life for people with cancer during active treatment” by S.I. Mishra et al., Clinical Otolaryngology, 10/12 • “Physical exercise intervention in depressive disorders . . .” by T. Josefsson et al., Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 2014 • “Therapeutic effects of aerobic and resistance exercises for cancer survivors . . .” by J.T Fuller et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 3/16/18 • “Yoga helps reduce work-related stress,” www.Eurekalert.org, 7/8/21
2021
9/23/21 8:25 AM
