Exercise can vanquish depression!

Moderate exercise, even for 20-30 minutes is enough to stave off depression. Researchers from the University of Toronto carried out the first longitudinal review to focus exclusively on the role that

Editorial Team | Published: October 29, 2013 4:29 pm

Moderate exercise, even for 20-30 minutes is enough to stave off depression. Researchers from the University of Toronto carried out the first longitudinal review to focus exclusively on the role that exercise plays in maintaining good mental health and preventing the onset of depression later in life.

PhD candidate George Mammen’s review was supervised by Professor Guy Faulkner, a co-author of the research. The review analysed over 26 years’ worth of research findings to discover that even low levels of physical activity (walking and gardening for 20-30 minutes a day) can ward off depression in people of all age groups.

Mammen acknowledged that other factors influence a person’s likelihood of experiencing depression, including their genetic makeup. But the scope of research assessed demonstrates that regardless of individual predispositions, there’s a clear take-away for everyone, he said.

‘It’s definitely worth taking note that if you’re currently active, you should sustain it. If you’re not physically active, you should initiate the habit. This review shows promising evidence that the impact of being active goes far beyond the physical,’ he said. The study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

What is depression?

As an illness, depression is as debilitating as a heart disease or HIV/AIDS. Those who suffer from the condition often describe the feeling as having a black cloud over their heads, which prevents them from enjoying anything or even functioning normally. One out of 20 people in the world suffer from depression but sadly many of them are forced to live in denial about the disease.

So how is depression different from sadness?

Sadness is part of the life without which happiness would have no meaning. To feel sad during major life crises like the death of a loved one, losing a job or the ending of a relationship is normal. Depression on the other hand is a condition where there is prolonged sadness and an individual’s mood isn’t tied to life events. While healthy individuals have moods related to life events, people suffering from depression suffer from disproportionate amount of sadness and guilt. It is a serious medical condition in which the symptoms make it difficult for the person to function in society, often leads to poor physical health and severe emotional pain.

How common is depression?

One out of every 20 people you know probably suffers from depression. The numbers are hard to pin down for a mental illness like depression because the symptoms are seen as a continuation of everyday-life behaviour. However, considering that 1.8 lakh Indians commit suicide every year and there are 20 times more attempts, which means at least 36 lakh people in India are surely suffering from major depressive disorder. Read on…

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Published: October 29, 2013 4:29 pm

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