Exercise can have an enormous impact on your mood. In fact, it is thought that exercise can be just as effective as anti-depressants in treating mild-to-moderate depression.
Not only can exercise help in treating depression, it can also prevent people from becoming depressed again. So it'* important to keep up an exercise regimen after people get better.
We don't yet understand exercise and mood enough to know exactly which type of exercise is best - or how much - but what we do know is that it definitely has a positive effect.
Exercise can:
- increase your energy levels
- help you get a good night'* sleep
- distract you from your worries and get you out of a cycle of negative thoughts that can feed anxiety and depression
- help you get out and be with people if you're feeling lonely; even a smile as you pass someone on the street can boost your mood
- help you feel more in control, and improve your self-esteem, because you are taking an active role in your own treatment
- increase your confidence as you meet challenges and reach goals, no matter how small, as well as helping you to feel good about your body
- help you to avoid less helpful approaches, such as drinking alcohol or dwelling on how you feel.
