Benefits of exercise for depression and stress

Exercise has many psychological and emotional benefits when you have depression or anxiety. These include:

• Confidence. Being physically active gives you a sense of accomplishment. Meeting goals or challenges, no matter how small, can boost self-confidence at times when you need it most. Exercise can also make you feel better about your appearance and your self-worth.
• Distraction. When you have depression or anxiety, it's easy to dwell on how badly you feel. But dwelling interferes with your ability to problem solve and cope in a healthy way. Dwelling can also make depression more severe and longer lasting. Exercise can shift the focus away from unpleasant thoughts to something more pleasant, such as your surroundings or the music you enjoy listening to while you exercise.
• Interactions. Depression and anxiety can lead to isolation. That, in turn, can worsen your condition. Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others, even if it's just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood.
• Healthy coping. Doing something positive to manage depression or anxiety is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol excessively, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping depression and anxiety will go away on their own aren't helpful coping strategies.

Chronic stress causes depression

The cause of depression is not entirely clear. However, it's believed that both genetic and environmental factors, such as stress, may play a role.

Some people are more vulnerable to stress because of their personality characteristics or temperament. Persistent or chronic stress has the potential to put vulnerable individuals at a substantially increased risk of depression, anxiety and many other emotional difficulties. Scientists have noted that changes in brain function — in the areas of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland — may play a key role in stress-induced emotional problems.

Many factors contribute to maintaining good mental health, including getting enough sleep, eating sensibly, exercising appropriately, avoiding use of harmful substances such as alcohol, and effectively managing stress. If you have chronic stress, consult a doctor or therapist to discuss ways to minimize stress and its negative impact on your physical and emotional health. He or she may recommend relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing or visualization, soothing activities, such as yoga or massage, or professional therapy.