Conquering Depression and Anxiety Through Exercise by Keith Johnsgard

Author:Keith Johnsgard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2009-07-07T00:50:00+00:00

ANAEROBIC VERSUS AEROBIC EXERCISE

The first investigation, that addressed this question studied a large group of women who met the SCL-90 RDC criteria for minor or major depression. Some ran, others lifted weights, and some were placed on a waiting list to serve as controls. Treatment sessions lasted thirty minutes and took place four times a week for eight weeks. Both the runners and the weight lifters showed significant (but not different) reductions in average depression scores at the end of treatment, gains that were maintained at a one-month follow-up. 25

This study was later replicated, comparing women who worked out four times a week for eight weeks. Some ran at 80 percent of their maximal heart rates; some engaged in circuit weight training at 50-60 percent of their maximal heart rates; and others served as waiting list controls. Once again both treatment groups made significant, but not different, gains in reduced depression, gains that persisted for one year.26

In the United Kingdom, a group of mildly and moderately depressed women engaged either in aerobic exercise (walk/jog for twenty to thirty minutes, three times a week) or nonaerobic exercise (stretching and strengthening) for eight weeks. After four weeks of treatment, only the aerobic group had significantly reduced depression, but by week eight both groups had similar significant reductions. Gains for both groups persisted at the twenty-week follow-up.27

These findings suggest that five to ten weeks of regular aerobic, anaer obic, and nonaerobic exercise all have similar and significant antidepressant effects on groups of men and women whose depressions are largely subsyndromal, ranging from mild to severe, but don't meet the criteria for dysthymia or major depression.

But does exercise treatment hold any promise for the most severely depressed men and women, those who suffer such dysfunctionality that they require hospitalization? Research from Europe provides some very encouraging answers.

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