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Reece

Emily Reece
Professor Campbell
UWRT 1103
November 8, 2015
30 Minutes a Day Keeps the Depression Away
Research shows that engaging in at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day can not
only reduce the effects of depression but can also improve an individuals overall quality of life.
When I first started working out, I would not say I was depressed but I know I wasnt as happy
as I could be and to put it simply, I was a stressed out, moody teenager. I knew there were ways
to be happier and feel better overall. I have always worked out but very irregularly and not very
seriously. In an effort to overcome mild social anxiety and lower my stress levels I decided to
start a consistent workout schedule. I began feeling better after just a week of working out. The
more consistently I worked out, the better I felt. It not only changed the way I felt physically, but
it also helped my mood and stress levels. If exercise can have such a positive effect on my life, it
can surely help others, and even improve clinical depression.
The Facts
In todays world, many people experience feelings of sadness, hopelessness, lack of
energy, and an overall feeling of depression. According to Mayo Clinic, Clinical depression, or
major depression is a mental health condition that causes feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or
frustration and often interfere with everyday life. In order to be officially diagnosed with major
depression, a patient must meet the symptom criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Health Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Some
of these symptoms include a depressed mood or significantly reduced interest in regular

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activities, weight loss or decrease in appetite, insomnia or increased desire to sleep, feelings of
worthlessness and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. Symptoms vary from patient to patient
and are not always easy to diagnose. According to the World Health Organization, over 350
million people, worldwide, experience symptoms of depression on a daily basis. It is the leading
cause of disability worldwide. It is also more common in women, than men. According to The
National Institute of Mental Health, depression can often be accompanied by anxiety disorders
such as PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social phobia and generalized
anxiety disorder. In essence, people that struggle with depression are often fighting more than
one demon.
There are various treatment options, including psychotherapy, antidepressants and even
exercise. Psychotherapy can come in many different forms. Some patients choose to participate
in cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps a patient see how they behave and how they think
about things and how it plays a role in their depression. Interpersonal Therapy is relationshipfocused and analyzes how other people affect a patient and their thinking. Problem-solving
therapy pinpoints a specific problem about a patients thinking and works to find a solution. All
of these are forms of psychotherapy, which have proven to be viable treatment options for
depression. This can be a lot for one person to handle and sometimes adding a prescription
medication can only make things worse. According to Harvard Medical School, antidepressant
use in the United States, among teens and adults (people ages 12 and older), increased by almost
400% between 19881994 and 20052008. Furthermore, women are 2.5 times more likely to be
taking an antidepressant than men.
There are a variety of side effects associated with antidepressants, these can vary
depending on both the individual and the type of antidepressant. The two most common physical

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side effects are headache and nausea, according to a study conducted by Journal Clinical
Therapeutics . Most people will build up a tolerance to the medication and the physical side
effects will not persist. Sleep disturbance is also very common. This usually comes in two forms:
either restlessness persisting into inability to sleep at night, or extreme drowsiness during the
day. While statistics show only 22% of people being affected by this, it is still a major issue for
people already struggling with lack of energy. Weight gain is also noted as a side effect usually
most prevalent when first starting the antidepressant.
Aside from the physical effects antidepressants can have, the mental side effects of
antidepressants are startling. It has been proven that use of any psychoactive drug can alter
emotional responses in some way and antidepressants are no exception. Chris Kresser, author of
The Dark Side of Antidepressants, says that between 21% and 28% of people taking Prozac, a
common antidepressant, report insomnia, agitation, anxiety, nervousness and restlessness. Many
doctors must prescribe other medications, such as anti-anxiety medications, to counter the
symptoms brought on by antidepressants. Kresser suggests that the use of antidepressants creates
a dependency to antidepressants and other drugs rather than empowering people to make positive
life changes.
In addition to the common treatment options, many people self medicate with drugs and
alcohol. Depressed individuals are more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol as a way to cope with
their feelings and lift their spirits. Depression can lead to addiction, which can make recovery
even harder.
The statistics are staggering but what if there were a cheaper, more wholesome form of
treatment? What if there were something that wouldnt cloud your brain and could change your
life drastically? The answer is simple. Exercise. Dr. Keith W. Johnsgard has over 30 years of

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experience in psychotherapy and has seen the results firsthand in his patients. Johnsgard writes,
The patient will feel better immediately after each session of exercise, and that with regular
exercise he or she could be symptom-free in as few as 3-5 weeks (163). Johnsgard insists his
patients exercise at least 30 minutes a day, but they must think of their depression. He urges
them to think only of their feelings of guilt, hopelessness, and worthlessness. Most patients find
it nearly impossible to think of these things a full 30 minutes, especially when exercising.
Exercising distracts the mind and allows patients to focus on something other than their feelings
of depression. This shows that when pairing exercise with various types of psychotherapy,
symptoms of depression can actually decrease.
Exercising releases many chemicals in your brain, the most common being endorphins,
which results in the feeling of runners high. Runners high is typically defined as feelings of
euphoria that occur during physical activity, where the athlete feels almost invincible. What
athletes used to anecdotally refer to as runners high now has specific scientific evidence. Dr.
Pittsley from the American Society for Exercise Physiologists defines it as An experience of
euphoria, a feeling of being invincible, a reduced state of discomfort or pain, and even a loss in
sense of time while running (Hatfield). An article from Scientific American describes it as a
feeling of euphoria coupled with reduced anxiety and a lessened ability to feel pain (Lavelle).
The feeling of euphoria is the common factor in almost all definitions and there is not arguing
that runners high truly does affect people and athletes when engaging in physical activity.
Chemical Breakdown
Endorphins are the main source of runners high, but there are many other chemicals
released in the brain that play a big role. Endorphins are defined as painkillers produced in
response to physical discomfort, according to Runners World. Endorphins provide the feel

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good effect when exercising and are often compared to the medically engineered drug,
Morphine. German researchers have found that during two-hour-long runs, subjects' pre-frontal
and limbic regions of the brain release vast amounts of endorphins. Many people cannot work
out for two hours at a time, but they can still reap the benefits. Researchers have found that
athletes feel the effects of endorphins when they are pushing their bodies. This means that
endorphin effects can be felt in a varying range of fitness levels.
The brain also releases a chemical called Endocannabinoids, which are naturally
synthesized versions of THC. Typically, endocannabinoids produce feelings that resemble the
high from marijuana. Endocannabinoids react more to stress, than pain, making them different
than endorphins. However, the body does not always differentiate between pain and stress so the
same mechanism that triggers endorphins also triggers endocannabinoids. Endorphins and
endocannabinoids are chemicals that provide short-term relief from depression, but they do not
necessarily help cure long-term symptoms of depression. Chemicals such as norepinephrine,
dopamine, and serotonin are responsible for lowering depression levels.
Norepinephrine is a stress hormone that increases blood pressure, heart rate and blood
glucose from energy stored. This chemical is essential when exercising because it sends signals
to your brain telling it to adjust oxygen intake and heart rate. Dopamine is a major component
present in the brains reward and pleasure center. It helps regulate movement and emotional
responses as well as, visualize rewards and move towards them. Dopamine is directly related to
motivation, which is important for depressed patients. While many depressed patients lack the
motivation to start exercising, once they begin, dopamine levels rise, which will ultimately help
them with struggles of motivation therefore providing more long-term alleviation to depression
symptoms. According to WebMD, Serotonin relates to mood, appetite, sexual desire and

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function, sleep, memory and learning, temperature regulation and some social behavior.
Researchers believe that lower serotonin levels are a leading cause in depression. There are many
antidepressants specifically made to increase serotonin levels; however, exercise has been proven
to improve mood and ultimately increase serotonin levels as well. The increase of these three key
chemicals in the brain are most likely to provide a patient with long term relief from depression
and a better overall quality of life.
Statistics show that 54 million people run or jog at least once a week. In addition to the
neurochemical impact, exercise gives people purpose and peace of mind. One recent study on
exercise shows that people have better self-esteem, it allows them to turn down the pressure on
life and provides a natural energy boost.
Conclusion
Depression can be a debilitating disease that can seem hopeless at times. While
antidepressants are a viable option, a more natural, holistic approach like exercise may be the
better choice for some patients. According to Daily Mail in the UK, a whopping 69% of people
taking antidepressants do not actually meet the criteria for clinical depression and 38% of people
do not meet the criteria for certain anxiety disorders. Many doctors give antidepressants because
they cant explain a patients symptoms of sadness. Exercise may be the simple answer patients
are looking for. Exercise not only improves an individuals quality of life, but it is also proven to
improve symptoms of depression. As the chemicals in the brain are brought back to normal
levels, individuals will begin to feel like themselves again and ultimately have more control over
their lives. Doctors across the board have spoken and they all agree. Exercise is a solid option to
alleviate symptoms of depression in a natural, drug-free way.

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Works Cited
Davies, Madlen. More than two thirds of People Taking Antidepressants May Not Actually
Have Depression. Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers Ltd, 3 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Nov.
2015
Depression- Facts sheet. World Health Organization, World Health Organization, October
2015. Web. 11 November 2015.
Exercise for Stress and Anxiety. Adaa. Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20102015. Web. 25 October 2015.
Fetters, Aleisha K. How to Achieve a Runners High. Runners World. Rodale, Incorporated,
25 April 2014. Web. 11 November 2015.
Johnsgard, Keith W. The Exercise Prescription for Depression and Anxiety. New York: Plenum
Press, 1989. Print.
Lavelle, Judy. New Brain Effects behind Runners High. Scientific American. A Division of
Nature America, Incorporated, 8 October 2015. Web. 11 November 2015.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Depression (major Depressive Disorder)." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation
for Medical Education and Research, 10 October 2014. Web. 25 October 2015.
Munoz, Kissairis. 30 Convincing Reasons to Start Running Now. Greatist. Greatist, 3 April
2014. Web. 8 December 2015.
Ramgopal, Sriram. Does Exercise Release Dopamine? Livestrong. Demand Media,
Incorporated, 20 Aug. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2015
2014 State of the Sport-Part II: Running Industry Report. Running USA. Running USA, 15
June 2014. Web. 8 December 2015.

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