Physical exercise helps you beat depression

Hyderabad: Maintaining an active lifestyle like pursuing running or any other kind of physical exercise is often associated with advantages like stronger muscular body, better sleep, keeping body fat under check and importantly feeling energetic all through the day. Quite often, however, people tend to overlook the positive impact that exercise has on mental health. […]

Hyderabad: Maintaining an active lifestyle like pursuing running or any other kind of physical exercise is often associated with advantages like stronger muscular body, better sleep, keeping body fat under check and importantly feeling energetic all through the day. Quite often, however, people tend to overlook the positive impact that exercise has on mental health.

Regular physical activity like running, walking, or a vigorous session of lifting weights in a gym not only triggers the momentary euphoric feeling but also provides long-term protection of mental health among individuals.

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It is a known fact that the first advice from a psychiatrist to people suffering from depression is walking, running or any other kind of physical exercise. “There are Indian-population based studies done by NIMHANS, Bengaluru that have clearly shown that exercises like running, walking or cycling are basically anti-depressants. In fact, psychiatrists prescribe exercise for patients suffering from depression,” says Head, Department of Psychiatry, Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal, Dr SRRY Srinivas.

The mental health specialist pointed out that rigorous physical exercise releases hormones known as endorphins, which are happy hormones or anti-depressants. “That’s the reason why, people tend to be calm and even happy after a good run or an hour of gym work,” says Dr Srinivas.

Recent evidence has also shown that apart from endorphins, the body after exercise releases a group of hormones known as endocannabinoids, which make people feel good. A study, which published in April, 2021 in Psychoneuroendocrinology of Science Director journal, by researchers from University of Medical Centre, Hamburg, Germany, have shown that running reduces anxiety levels in humans, it stimulates the endocannabinoid system, which is also often linked to runner’s high in humans.

“Running or any other physical exercise directly impacts and stimulates the brain and provides instant relief. The challenge is to motivate people to come out of their comfort zones and venture outdoors and pursue an active way of life. There is a direct link of physical activities and mental health and nobody can deny that,” founding member of Hyderabad Runners, which is organising this year’s Hyderabad Marathon on August 27 and 28, Rajesh Vetcha, said.

Experts have also pointed out that a single session of running or any other physical exercise can improve the mood for several hours. Moreover, if individuals manage to adopt running or any other physical activity as part of their regular routine, then they experience long-term mental health benefits.