How To Get Out Of Depression With Home Fitness Activities

how to get out of depression

Home Fitness Activities for Depression

It is estimated that around 15 million Americans age 18 years and older experience depression in any given year. Along with that, millions of adults struggle daily in coping with stress and anxiety. This is a major cause of physiological and mental disease… But you can counter depression with simple home fitness activities!

Let’s get going

With the rise in costs of living, treating depression clinically is not always a viable option for people of a country where 15% of the population, or about 46 million people, are living below the poverty line.

However, depression is treatable through some great home fitness activities. These include healthy nutrition, lifestyle, and heightened willpower as they are very significant factors that affect the functioning of the brain and mind.

Remember that eating healthy can be cheaper than eating junk food, along with many other simple lifestyle changes!

It’s very possible to incorporate the following into your daily schedules to overcome depressive episodes.

Your Diet

Most health experts stress that diet plays a huge role in the brain’s chemical releases that are related to mood regulation and depression.

A diet full of oily and sugary unnatural foods may give a temporary boost of energy to a person. Overall, it greatly affects the healthy functioning of the mind and body as it not only lacks essential nutrients but is loaded with harmful substances.

Processed sugar causes blood sugar levels to abnormally spike and fall during the day which results in dramatic mood and energy level changes.

Counter Depression Through Home Fitness ActivitiesOn the other hand, a well-balanced healthy diet is necessary for a healthy life and there are many foods that can be incorporated to aid in countering depression.

Unhealthy eating and depression

Unhealthy eating habits can cause depression levels to further deteriorate. A healthy diet consisting of whole grains, dark green vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, and lean meat like turkey and chicken are very beneficial to people suffering from depression.

A combination of these foods, stabilize blood sugar throughout the day which acts as a mood stabilizer.

Certain vitamins and minerals are also crucial as they actively have a positive effect on depression. Omega 3, vitamin B12, and folates help in brain functioning that can work to balance out feelings of despair.

Vitamin D is also considered to be helpful as it is the “sunshine vitamin”. The lack of which can cause SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and chronic depression.

Given the role of nutrients in the regulation of brain function, it’s smart that the sufferer of depression gets tests done to consider which nutrients they may be lacking and then devise a plan to include them in their diets.

Exercise and the Outdoors

Exercising outdoors helps release tension and relax the senses.  A study, which has been accepted for publishing in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity, conducted by Anika Fruehauf has revealed that outdoor activity has a significant positive effect on various symptoms of depression.

With 14 patients at a mental health facility diagnosed with clinical depression, 3 different tests were conducted over a period of two weeks in 3 different environments which included indoor exercise, outdoor exercise, and an indoor sitting session where reading or playing games were permitted.

It was discovered through the study that outdoor exercise significantly increased perceived activation and post-session activation.

An increase in relaxation was also observed along with a drop in depressive mood and fatigue.

You can also ask your employer about starting a corporate fitness program.

Outdoors and Depression

One explanation of this is that depressed people relate their symptoms often with their interior environment. This can be why medical practitioners often suggest that people with a prior history of depression should include home fitness activities in their daily regimen.

This constantly neutralizes any activation points that may lead to another bout of depression.

However, it could also simply be the effect of nature which provides open space, fresh air, and greenery that helps alleviate the mood.

Effective ways to move outdoors can be yoga, running, or hiking. Adding a friend with whom one can talk and discuss life, will not only encourage the depressed person to go out but also help them stick to it.

Talking to a friend also works as psychotherapy, but there are also many therapies and practices that are specially designed for the outdoors which can be beneficial for those who cannot always have the company of a friend.

Wrap-Up

The combination of a planned diet and daily exercises, and the mindset that considers fighting depression a priority has time and time again been proven to be extremely helpful.

It’s a good idea to give home fitness activities a try before one looks in the direction of prescription drugs.

Zyana Morris is a passionate health and lifestyle blogger who loves to write about prevailing trends. She is a featured author at various authoritative blogs in the health and fitness industry and currently working for Centra Care Florida, a Tampa urgent care provider. Follow @ZyanaMorris for more.
Zyana Morris
How To Get Out Of Depression With Home Fitness Activities