Exercise and depression
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Exercise and depression
A number of us have already discussed this, that commuting (or any form of cycling) helps us manage our depression. In today's Globe and Mail, there is an article titled Outrunning Depression and although the article focuses on people with depression finding that participating in running helps them, the article also expands its discussion to include exercise in general.
Coincidentally, before I read this, while on my commute in to work today, I got to wondering if communities with significant populations of bike commuters have any statistics regarding reduced rate of depression in their population, Copenhagen for instance.
Coincidentally, before I read this, while on my commute in to work today, I got to wondering if communities with significant populations of bike commuters have any statistics regarding reduced rate of depression in their population, Copenhagen for instance.
#2
Banned
Hard to separate the reduced day time increased darkness hours of winter from this analysis.
#3
Banned
Danes are the happiest people on the planet.
Copenhagen metro area = 2M ppl
Denmark = 5.7M ppl
Copenhagen metro area = 2M ppl
Denmark = 5.7M ppl
#4
Banned
#5
Senior Member
I have depression. When I exercise regularly, I have fewer symptoms.
It's a bonus if I can exercise while the sun is strong.
It's a bonus if I can exercise while the sun is strong.
#7
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 6,192
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1376 Post(s)
Liked 432 Times
in
297 Posts
Diet and exercise have been shown to be more effective in treating mild to moderate depression than drugs.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Brodhead, WI - south of Madison
Posts: 2,928
Bikes: 2009 Trek 1.2
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 239 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
1 Post
Same here ... mine is low grade and typically seasonal (SAD). I'm medicated, but if I'm medicated and exercising regularly (commuting, general cycling, strength training) my mood is much better.
#9
Banned.
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Uncertain
Posts: 8,651
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Another one whose mood is heavily influenced by the amount of exercise I do. Lots of exrercise, I feel good about myself, more exercise, virtuous circle. Lack of exercise, feel bad about myself, less motivation to exercise, vicious circle. I suspect, but cannot prove, that increased rates of depressive illness correlate with increasingly sedentary lifestyles.
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
#12
Senior Member
From a Facebook-friend :
An aging master grew tired of his apprentice’s complaints. One morning, he sent him to get some salt. When the apprentice returned, the master told him to mix a handful of salt in a glass of water and then drink it.“How does it taste?” the master asked.“Bitter,” said the apprentice.
The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.
“No,” said the young man. At this the master sat beside this serious young man, and explained softly,“The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same. However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”
A bike ride through the woods expands my "container" .
An aging master grew tired of his apprentice’s complaints. One morning, he sent him to get some salt. When the apprentice returned, the master told him to mix a handful of salt in a glass of water and then drink it.“How does it taste?” the master asked.“Bitter,” said the apprentice.
The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.
“No,” said the young man. At this the master sat beside this serious young man, and explained softly,“The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same. However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”
A bike ride through the woods expands my "container" .
#13
contiuniously variable
An aging master grew tired of his apprentice’s complaints. One morning, he sent him to get some salt. When the apprentice returned, the master told him to mix a handful of salt in a glass of water and then drink it.“How does it taste?” the master asked.“Bitter,” said the apprentice.
The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.
“No,” said the young man. At this the master sat beside this serious young man, and explained softly,“The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same. However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”
The master chuckled and then asked the young man to take the same handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and once the apprentice swirled his handful of salt in the water, the old man said, “Now drink from the lake.”As the water dripped down the young man’s chin, the master asked, “How does it taste?”“Fresh,” remarked the apprentice.“Do you taste the salt?” asked the master.
“No,” said the young man. At this the master sat beside this serious young man, and explained softly,“The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains exactly the same. However, the amount of bitterness we taste depends on the container we put the pain in. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things. Stop being a glass. Become a lake.”
For me, the more i put off riding the less well i feel. When i feel super stressed, nothing like a peaceful ride through town in my "zone" and maybe down to the creek in the park to sit or skip rocks, or both.
I enjoy grocery shopping by bike far more than if someone offers transport, as well.
- Andy
#14
Banned
Wow!
For me, the more i put off riding the less well i feel. When i feel super stressed, nothing like a peaceful ride through town in my "zone" and maybe down to the creek in the park to sit or skip rocks, or both.
I enjoy grocery shopping by bike far more than if someone offers transport, as well.
- Andy
For me, the more i put off riding the less well i feel. When i feel super stressed, nothing like a peaceful ride through town in my "zone" and maybe down to the creek in the park to sit or skip rocks, or both.
I enjoy grocery shopping by bike far more than if someone offers transport, as well.
- Andy
50-70 miles cycling
500 miles high-speed rail (125mph)
40 miles slow-speed rail (50-80mph)
10 miles of buses
usually 1-2 car trips (between 10 and 100 miles depending on events)
the cycling is usually the best part!
#15
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,644
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3873 Post(s)
Liked 2,576 Times
in
1,583 Posts
To respond to the OP more directly, I don't have depression in any diagnosed sense, but I certainly get some SAD over the winter, and really notice that I had it when spring rolls around and I'm spending more time 1) biking 2) in the sun. My girlfriend can tell, and pushes me to ride whenever there's a good day for it.
![Smilie](images/smilies/smile.gif)
__________________
RUSA #7498
Originally Posted by noglider
People in this forum are not typical.
Last edited by ThermionicScott; 10-27-14 at 01:23 PM.
#16
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 6,192
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1376 Post(s)
Liked 432 Times
in
297 Posts
I enjoyed the article posted by the OP, but find it a little weird and frustrating that much writing about depression just treats it as a condition that increasing numbers of people mysteriously have, and then uses that as a launching point to discuss drugs and possibly exercise as therapies for it, when that seems to approach the whole thing backward! It seems more that we evolved around a general activity level, and that many parts of the body suffer when we don't get enough. So a healthy diet and exercise ought to be the starting point for treating depression, not a sidebar to it.
#17
Banned
The US medical system is designed to create profits for the drug and insurance companies, not healthy patients. Sick patients are more profitable than healthy patients, and sick patients that have a condition that need a lot of drugs are what the US medical system is based on.
Last edited by acidfast7; 10-27-14 at 01:35 PM.
#18
Senior Member
I find I physical activity in general helps keep me in a good frame of mind. I love outdoor physical activity best.
I also find morning physical activity(biking to work, or the gym) helps wake me up and give me mental clarity.
I also find morning physical activity(biking to work, or the gym) helps wake me up and give me mental clarity.
#19
contiuniously variable
The US medical system is designed to create profits for the drug and insurance companies, not healthy patients. Sick patients are more profitable than healthy patients, and sick patients that have a condition that need a lot of drugs are what the US medical system is based on.
- Andy
#20
Banned
Heath care should never be for-profit. Might sound radical to some here, but i feel that here in the US, our energy & heath care should be nationalized & single payer, ie taxes pay for it vs out of pocket. Imagine paying for your energy use via the national tax pool & same with health care? There are some drawbacks to this kind of layout obviously, however i feel the main problems with these industries would be better addressed and with more accountability.
- Andy
- Andy
#21
Senior Member
Since one of the symptoms of depression is the lack of desire to do anything, how is a depressed person going to start exercising? I get a mental picture of picking yourself up by the scruff of your own neck.
#22
Super-spreader
I often pick myself up by the scruff of my neck because I know hard it's going to be if I let myself go several days without exercise. I would go back to picking up a bottle on the way home (and watching my waistline expand) before too long.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 7,639
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
Mentioned: 146 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 393 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 49 Times
in
31 Posts
Antibiotics are used in sick people. They are profitable drugs and being actively developed. There was a lull in new antibiotic drug development, because the existing ones worked fine. That is changing.
#24
Banned
FWIW, this is my current major research avenue.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,968
Bikes: '09 Trek 2.1 * '75 Sekine * 2010 Raleigh Talus 8.0 * '90 Giant Mtb * Raleigh M20 * Fuji Nevada mtb
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
An accurate picture. Obligations to a positive, fun, supportive exercise community (not just a class or gym, but a community) really helps. 1 - you have to show up. 2 - you want to show up because of the people there.
__________________
FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.