Another treatment option is physical exercise. Several scientific studies have shown that a regular program of exercise can help people to recover from depression; lifting their mood, reducing anxiety and improving self-esteem and concentration. They also found that taking regular exercise could help protect people against becoming depressed in the first place.
Why does exercise work to aid depression?
There’s a range of reasons why exercise can help with depression:
Exercise is believed to increase the release of the brain chemicals that affect our mood and make us feel happier.
Exercise helps us to get active and meet new people. This stops us from feeling isolated and unsupported.
Exercise can give us new goals and a sense of purpose. We have something positive to focus on and aim for.
Exercise can boost our self-esteem — it can improve the way we look and how we feel about ourselves.