One of the best ways to cope with depression is to get out there and exercise – there is no two ways about it! Exercise comes with a whole lot of benefits – keeps you fit, helps you stay active and also releases endorphins that are great mood-boosters.

While any exercise is a great way to fight depression, anxiety – there are some specific exercises that you can do to help cope with depression.

Here are a few must-do workouts in case you are dealing with depression or in general looking for a mood-lift.

1. Running

When it comes to fighting depression, exercises that are cardio intense help you the best. Quite simply, moving is the first step. “Runners high” is when you are moving and exercise is stimulating your brain chemicals. If you want to pick up an exercise to fight depression, the best place to start would be with something that is cardio intense.

 

2. Yoga

Yoga combines the right mix of exercises and breathing – those who have picked up yoga show that they have reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Doing yoga regularly helps you to stay calm, fit and not just benefits the physical body but also keeps you mentally fit.

 

3. Get Outdoors More Often

The most important thing here is to get outdoors – it doesn’t even matter if you don’t have a structured workout plan! The idea is to get fresh air and get outside as much as you can because this helps tackle feelings of anxiety and depression.

 

4. Build Muscles

Strength training over a period of time really helps you to boost happiness –  strengthening your muscles requires control and precision and doing this consistently over a period of time is undoubtedly a great mind boost!

 

References

http://www.everydayhealth.com/depression-pictures/great-exercises-to-fight-depression.aspx#07