Exercise and Depression? Is there a Connection? – Addiction Recovery Devotional

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1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

I am a TRUE believer in exercising helping with depression. Here is what www.webmd.com says about depression

What Are the Psychological Benefits of Exercise With Depression?

Improved self-esteem is a key psychological benefit of regular physical activity. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.

Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as “euphoric.” That feeling, known as a “runner’s high,” can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life.

Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The neuron receptors endorphins bind to are the same ones that bind some pain medicines. However, unlike with morphine, the activation of these receptors by the body’s endorphins does not lead to addiction or dependence.

Regular exercise has been proven to:

Reduce stress
Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression
Boost self-esteem
Improve sleep

When I personally get in one of these funks, yes I do reach for my Bible, my friends, my “happy” pill but I also grab my bike and go on some rides. For me, the feeling I get when I ride around the amazing sites that God has created opens my eyes to all that he has created and for a while takes me out of my thoughts of gloom. Besides the other physical things that exercise does inside me which are all happy benefits and good for me…it helps to distract me for a while.

Exercise is such an underutilized form of treatment for depression, but because I personally can attest to it’s value it is a Green Light in the recoveryBox App.. that’s how important I think it is. Go for a walk today at the least and see how it makes you feel. I know you will feel a little better..and repeat it day after day and make it part of your depression toolbox.