Depression and the exercise effect

Depression and The exercise effect – Provided by Harvard Medical School.

Exercising starts a biological cascade of events that results in many health benefits, such as protecting against heart disease and diabetes, improving sleep, and lowering blood pressure. High-intensity exercise releases the body’s feel-good chemicals called endorphins, resulting in the “runner’s high” that joggers report. But for most of us, the real value is in low-intensity exercise sustained over time. That kind of activity spurs the release of proteins called neurotrophic or growth factors, which cause nerve cells to grow and make new connections. The improvement in brain function makes you feel better. “In people who are depressed, neuroscientists have noticed that the hippocampus in the brain —the region that helps regulate mood—is smaller. Exercise supports nerve cell growth in the hippocampus, improving nerve cell connections, which helps relieve depression,” explains Dr. Miller.

Many people suffer from depression and find it difficult to summon the energy to do something about it.  The following article from Harvard Medical School goes on to say that people begin to feel better a few weeks after they begin exercising but it is a long term treatment.

“Pick something you like and can sustain over time.”

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