Exercise Away Depression

DID YOU KNOW?

When researches at Italy's University of Cagliari divided women who were taking prescription anti-depressants into two groups - one that worked out together for an hour twice a weekand one that did no exercise - only the active women showed significant improvements in their symptoms.

It's proven that exercise can help you fight the blues in the short-term, but this study suggests that it's also an effective long-term treatment for depression, especially when you work out in addition to taking medication and getting therapy.

"Exercise decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and increases the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, both of which help alleviate depressive symptoms," says Dr Mauro Carta, one of the study's authors. "The regular social contact the classes provided may also help."

Courtesy: Shape Magazine