3 Ways to Beat Depression With Exercise

Exercise helps with depression. That part is settled by research. The trouble is that a lot of people hear the word exercise and picture grueling runs or punishing gym sessions. Marathons and long-distance running do have real value for warding off depression or taking the edge off it, but you don't need to enter a competition to get the benefit. And let's be real: on the worst days, just getting out of bed can feel impossible.

If that sounds familiar, you're in large company. Almost everyone I've talked to has told me how hard it is to exercise when the depression is heavy. Yet not a single person has ever told me a walk left them feeling worse afterward.

The activity doesn't have to be hard or draining. Dr. Andrea Dunn ran a study at the Cooper Research Institute in Dallas, Texas, and found that patients cut their depression levels by close to 47 percent after walking 35 minutes a day, six days a week. Her results pointed to something striking: as little as three hours of regular movement per week eased mild to moderate depression about as well as Prozac or similar antidepressants.

The upside stretches to gentler activity too. Gardening is a good example. Aerobic movement in particular pushes more oxygen and blood toward the brain, and it triggers the release of endorphins, the body's own feel-good chemicals. For someone dealing with depression, moderate activity carries none of the side effects that come with medication. The risk is essentially zero.

Three exercises that take almost no effort:

1. Go for a walk with a friend. Socializing can be tiring even on a good day, I know. Still, time with a friend can be a real source of warmth and backing. Pair that moderate movement with low-key company by walking together, with or without a dog along. You don't have to tell your friend you're depressed; that's your call, and it's fine either way if they already know. Walking also tends to smooth over nervous tension or any awkwardness, since your attention lands on the person beside you and whatever you're talking about. One practical idea: if you've canceled plans before because the depression hit too hard, ask your friend to come meet you at your place instead.

2. Clean or garden. A 26-year review of research singled out gardening specifically as one of those moderate daily activities with a strong effect on preventing and treating depression. Got a yard? Go mow it, plant a few seeds, do some pruning. Nobody's asking you to tackle the whole thing in one go. The nice part is you can see the results of what you did, and that tends to keep you going. No yard? An apartment works fine. Wipe down the fridge, straighten your bedroom, clear out a cupboard. Scrubbing and washing all count as movement.

3. Walk a pet. You hear a lot of stories about people pulling through depression with help from an animal. Dogs especially carry this contagious energy that has to get out every day. So fold a light walk together with your fondness for a four-legged companion and head to the park. No dog of your own? Offer to take a neighbor's or friend's dog out. You get the walking benefit, your friend gets a favor, and you hand the dog back once the walk is done. Nothing strenuous about any of that, and done daily for 30 minutes it still counts as moderate activity that helps you feel better.

Start small if you need to. A few minutes a day is enough to begin. Overdoing it early can backfire, because the dread of doing too much too soon may stop you from trying again. Here's a detail from Dunn's study that helps: three ten-minute bouts of exercise can produce roughly the same effect as one 30-minute session. So once you feel up to it, aim for two or three short 10-minute spells across the day.

A few simple routines really can keep depression at bay or help you push through it. So, are you already on your way to feeling a little better? - Erin