I have written many times
before about my depression and anxiety and about how exercise helps me cope with
them. My experience is anecdotal, of
course, but science backs me up:
depression symptoms are often improved by exercise, particularly cardio.
This is one reason why I
have a minimum daily exercise goal and a nearly foolproof plan to make it
happen. I have to walk my dog for about
half an hour. If I do that, I don’t have
to do anything else. Most days, I do
plenty more, but on days when the Depression Monster visits, that is
enough. The foolproof part is that if I
don’t walk my dog, she harasses me. It
is less trouble to walk her than to deal with her unwalked. (I did not get a dog for this reason, but
there are worse reasons to get a dog…)
What works for me may not
work for anyone else. Cardio is no
substitute for professional help, but in most cases it won’t hurt to add it
on. And if it helps us outrun the
Depression Monster, so much the better.
Let’s be well.
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