Walk to Avoid and Overcome Depression
It is common knowledge that exercising regularly can help you enjoy good physical health. It cuts down the risk of cerebrovascular diseases, heart diseases, cancer and many more harmful health conditions. Some studies carried out in the recent past have revealed that engaging in some physical activity on a regular basis also delivers many health benefits at the mental level. In this short article, we’ll help you learn how you can avoid and/or overcome depression by walking or exercising.
Engaging in some regular physical exercise like walking can help you fight off depression. When you get anxious or depressed, you may feel as if you don’t have any control over your life. Exercising at such a time can help you regain control over your body, serving as the first step towards regaining control over other things too.
Who can benefit from exercising and which exercise is the best?
Anyone who is depressed can benefit from regular exercising. However, it works best in case of people suffering from mild depression.
Any exercise will work as long as you do enough of it without giving up. It needs to be something that you enjoy, otherwise, you may soon lose the motivation to continue.
How often should you exercise?
Adults are normally encouraged to engage in around 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activities per week for optimum health.
If you haven’t done any physical exercises for a long time now, it would be better for you to introduce them into your daily routine slowly. Walking for even 15 minutes each day can help you unwind and relax your mind. Always remember that ‘some exercise’ is better than no exercise at all!
How to begin
You can start a walking routine, take part in group sports, join a sports centre or even ride to work on a bike (instead of driving). You should search for a form of physical activity that you can do on a regular basis and that you enjoy.
What’s extremely important here is that you begin slowly and increase your intensity step-by-step. This is all the more important if you haven’t exercised in a long time. Why not start walking for around 15 minutes each day, and gradually increase to 30 minutes. You may even change from slow walking to brisk walking over a period of time, to achieve better results.
Just remember that whichever exercise you choose, it should be the right one for you, keeping your current physical condition and fitness goals in mind.
Ask for an exercise prescription
If it’s been ages since you exercised or you’re concerned about the negative effects of certain exercises, it would be better to consult a qualified physician and ask for an exercise prescription.
Many general practitioners prescribe exercise as an effective treatment method for several illnesses, including depression. Depression has many treatment options such as antidepressant medications, conversation therapies and certain self-help routines. If you’ve been battling depression for two weeks or more, it is time that you consult a qualified doctor. He/she can guide you through the right treatment method and help you overcome the problem in the quickest way possible.
