Depression is a major health problem for seniors, leading to many health consequences. Research shows that inactivity among seniors is directly related to depression. Regular exercise can be effective for alleviating depression by itself. In this blog we will walk you through the positive effects of physical exercise that help in combating depression and how Easy Exercising can help older adults reduce symptoms.
Exercise and depression.
Exercise is good for the body, including the brain. The positive impact that physical activity has on both mental and emotional health should not be ignored. There are many benefits associated with getting your heart rate up. By making exercise part of your daily routine, you can potentially lower stress levels, increase energy, reduce anxiety and depression symptoms, improve sleep quality and much more.
You already know that exercise is good for your body. But did you know it can also boost your mood, improve your sleep, and help you deal with depression, anxiety, stress, and more?
Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on your mood and energy levels as well as help to cope with depression, illness, and anxiety. It can even relieve stress, improve memory, help you sleep better, and boost your overall outlook. And you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Any amount of exercise is worth doing because research indicates that even small amounts count towards positive mental health and improved ideas and attitude towards life in general!
Regular exercise may alleviate symptoms of depression by:
Increasing energy levels
Depression can place a stranglehold on one’s physical energy. Furthermore, depression causes other symptoms to crop up as a result of the low level of energy that often accompanies it, such as feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. In addition to seeing a doctor who specialises in mental health disorders, you can break out of this cycle by adopting different habits into your daily routine to elevate your mood – certain exercise routines that allow you to relax and energise for example.
Improving sleep
When you’re stressed and feeling hopeless, exercise can help you get back on your feet. As a result of the brain working with various different neurotransmitters that send messages throughout the rest of the body, if one is physically active it can send an impulse to your brain saying “You know what? I am able to cope with this situation”. And of course, once we feel we can handle our problems we start to feel more energetic and even begin sleeping better naturally.
Providing social support and reducing loneliness if exercise is done with other people
Exercise can help in making the person active. This is a lifestyle change that reduces the chances of going into depression. Moreover, regular exercise done in a group reduces the feeling of loneliness and also provides social bondage. Easy Exercising helps find a way out of depression by promoting group exercise. All the exercise classes carried out at various centres are done in small groups within our friendly community.
Increasing a sense of control and self-esteem by allowing people to take an active role in their own wellbeing.
Exercise helps you feel better and you experience greater control over health and self-esteem, improving overall wellbeing.
How Exercise Can Improve Mental Health in Seniors?
Your brain works with chemicals called neurotransmitters which send messages through the nervous system when you think, move, and feel. Getting enough exercise and staying physically active can help produce more of a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine in your brain. Although we’re taught in school that older folks need to keep moving because they lose muscle strength, which can lead to fall injuries; we now know that regular physical activity helps improve mood and overall health including the generation of new brain cells! In addition, exercise triggers serotonin production, which has a calming and relaxing effect on our bodies as well as our brains.
Getting started with exercise when you have a mental health issue.
Whether it’s from depression, anxiety, stress or another mental health issue, many of us find it a challenge to motivate ourselves to exercise at the best of times. But when you feel depressed, anxious or stressed, it can seem doubly hard. This is especially true of depression and anxiety which often leave one feeling trapped in a catch-22 situation – you know that exercise will make you feel better but depression has robbed you of the energy and motivation that this task needs to be undertaken or your social anxiety means that being seen working out around others could prove too difficult for you.
Key points about the role of exercise in treating depression
Exercise and Dementia
Recent research suggests that lack of exercise among the elderly results in an increased risk of developing Dementia. In fact, there is a steady rise in the number of seniors who seem to have some sort of memory impairment as they age. In this context, it’s important to keep yourself physically active and maintain healthy cognitive abilities for as long as possible.
Exercise and Happiness
Regular exercise brings so much joy! You’ll find that your happiest times are when you’ve done something active – which releases the happy hormone Dopamine in our brain. It means you’re taking care of your physical and mental wellbeing. The more active you are, the happier you will be!
Easy Exercising and Depression
Easy Exercising helps older people fight depression through group exercises. Our trainers are certified professionals who have years of experience in providing exercise training to adults. Many people have improved their mental health through regular exercise. The equipment at various Easy Exercising centres are built to allow exercise without much sweat. To learn more visit easyexercising.com
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