Do you depend on antidepressants to see the world in psychedelic colours instead of shades of Blue? Do you know that exercise is the best and the cheapest antidepressant? Exercise is the last thing on your mind you are down and anxious but research has shown that even a 10 minute walk down the block could help you feel better and lift your spirits. A study was conducted by Italian researchers on the effects of exercise on people who are suffering from depression. About thirty women aged between 40 and 60 who had been diagnosed with major depression were randomly assigned to stick with antidepressants alone or to include exercise twice a week while taking antidepressants for eight months. It was found that women who exercised showed remarkable improvements in their depression symptoms when compared to those women who were in antidepressants alone. It’s not a magic bullet, but increasing physical activity is a positive and active strategy to help manage depression and anxiety says Kristin Vickers-Douglas, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic. How does exercise help? * Exercising when you are depressed firstly helps you get distracted as you concentrate on your workout instead of life’s misery. * If you are out taking a walk, you get to interact with people, which may help you forget your worries and make you feel better when you know that you are not the only person in the world having problems. * Identify the activity that you enjoy most or you are likely to give up the instant you hit the blues. So, get going and the next time some one asks what stands for D – Say Dance and not Depresssion! Image Source