A single 30-minute walk on a treadmill can give a temporary emotional lift to patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder, the results of a small study suggest. Researchers found that among 40 men and women recently diagnosed with major depression, those who spent just a half hour on a treadmill reported a short-term improvement in energy and emotional well-being. Though a single workout is not the answer to clinical depression, the researchers say, exercise could offer depressed patients a way to give themselves an emotional boost.
“If you can go out and walk and get the recommended amount of exercise, then it might help you manage your symptoms on a day-to-day basis,” said lead study author Dr. John Bartholomew of the University of Texas at Austin.
Past studies, he explained in an interview, have shown that regular exercise can help treat depression over time. But the new findings show that “you don’t have to wait” to start getting some benefit, he said.
A number of studies have found that active adults are less likely to suffer depression than their sedentary peers, while some clinical trials have shown regular exercise can serve as a therapy for the disorder — and perhaps be as effective as antidepressant drugs in some cases.
SOURCE: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, December 2005.
Just one day of exercise can swing your day into a positive one. Sounds simple, but it is these action steps that seem the hardest. Think about it, just get up and move around rigorously for 30 minutes each day and the down days may stay away. Dance, run in place, lift weights, walk the block, walk in the house in circles or just sit in a chair and flop your hands and feet around for 30 minutes and you will feel better physically and emotionally. Don’t make it difficult; make it fun and part of your life!
Dr. Benzinger
