Q: When I’m depressed, I have a hard time getting myself to exercise even though I know I should. Why is this and what should I do?
In case it makes you feel better, it’s important to recognize that struggling to work out when you’re depressed is a common challenge.
In fact, research has found that while the majority of people with depression are interested in exercising, their symptoms – particularly lack of motivation, low mood and fatigue – are significant barriers to getting moving or sticking with a workout program.
Simply put, that lack of motivation and energy is part of the constellation of symptoms that accompany depression.
“Routine exercise is difficult for everyone,” says Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, a professor of psychiatry and founding director of the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care at UT Southwestern in Dallas.
“When somebody is in the middle of a depressive episode, taking up any activity ends up requiring a level of motivation and energy that many of them find hard.”
And yet, exercising has been shown to improve mood symptoms related to depression.
Research has shown exercise can have a similar effect on alleviating depression as an antidepressant medication, specifically sertraline (Zoloft).
The study showed that people with depression who did four months of regular aerobic exercise – either on their own or in a group setting – had reduced depressive symptoms and remission rates comparable to those who were treated with medication.
“There’s a misconception that for exercise to be beneficial, it has to be like training for a marathon,” says James Blumenthal, the study’s coauthor and the J.P. Gibbons Distinguished Professor Emeritus in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine.
“Our research shows that 90 minutes of exercise per week – three 30-minute sessions – is effective for reducing depression, and it doesn’t have to be done all at once.”
What’s more, exercise can even boost the effectiveness of antidepressant drugs.
Studies have demonstrated that aerobic exercise – such as running, walking or swimming – can prime the brain’s circuitry to enhance its response to antidepressant medications, making the drugs potentially more effective.
