Can running help beat depression better than antidepressants? We asked experts
Running is an effective way of tackling depression and anxiety. Image: Unsplash
With World Mental Health Day being celebrated on October 10 and its aim to mobilise efforts in support of mental health, one cannot help but wonder how we can effectively combat the grave yet widespread issue of depression and anxiety.
However, here's a simple way to ease depression: by running. A recent study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has found that running could be more effective in alleviating depression than antidepressants.
We are all well aware of the fact that running and other forms of regular exercise offer a wide range of mental health benefits.
And for all those running enthusiasts out there who have experienced runner's high—a brief, deeply relaxing state of euphoria and extreme joy that occurs after running or intense exercise—they can personally attest to the mental health benefits of running.
What does the study say
- Study details: A recent, small-scale study conducted by researchers from Vrije University, Amsterdam, asked 141 patients suffering from depression and/or anxiety to choose between a group run two to three times a week or taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants. After 16 weeks, the participants' mental and physical health were examined.
- Out of those 141 participants, 96 opted to join the running group, while 45 chose medication.
- Study results: The researchers found that running therapy and antidepressant medication had similar effects on mental health.
- Running is more effective than antidepressants: However, they discovered that running therapy outperformed antidepressants in terms of physical health.
- For instance, running and exercising improved the participants' weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and heart function. In contrast, participants who took antidepressants tended to become less fit.
- Professor Brenda Penninx, a member of the research team, stated, "antidepressants generally had a worse impact on body weight, heart rate variability, and blood pressure, whereas running therapy led to improved overall fitness and heart rate."
- She further added, "In the end, patients are only truly helped when we improve their mental health without unnecessarily worsening their physical health."
- A combination of exercise and medication: Professor Brenda Penninx emphasized that to effectively address depression, it's crucial to incorporate both running therapy and medication (antidepressants). Running or exercise therapy should be taken more seriously and considered important for patients with depression.
Experts speak
- Dr Sundeep Khandelwal, a physician based in Delhi-NCR, told dailyO that while exercising and running, endorphins (chemical hormones) are released by your brain that act as pain relievers, they help reduce stress, improve mood and enhance your sense of well-being. Endorphins basically can help reduce anxiety, ease symptoms of depression and improve self-confidence.
- He further added, that running (or exercising) in a group or simply running with a friend takes your mind off worries and distracts you from negative, intrusive thoughts and helps you socialize with others. This social interaction or working out/running with a friend or a group of people provides you with a sense of community, boosts your mood, supports mental well-being, and can help combat the isolation (feeling of loneliness) often associated with depression.
dailyO reached out to Ms. Deepti Mohanty, a certified trainer, Aerobics, and Zumba instructor based in Noida, to inquire about how running could help alleviate depression or anxiety. She stated, "Running or any form of exercise does help reduce depression or anxiety."
- She further added, running helps in the production of feel-good hormones endorphins, which gives us the feel good factor.
- In addition, she emphasized that running helps her to focus her mind on the target and not deviate and think about any other positive or negative things going on, and it epseically keeps her mind off any negative thoughts.
- Ms Mohanty lastly added, that the sense of achievement that one gets after completing their target is all-together a different feeling, and "at times you feel you can’t do a certain thing but by running and achieving your target you gain confidence in your which is very important for your personality as a whole."
So, setting and achieving running goals, whether completing a certain distance or improving your time, can boost self-esteem and self-confidence. This sense of accomplishment can counteract the feelings of low self-esteem often associated with depression.