So, in the past, you’ve said a big “no thanks!” to strength training. You feel you do enough heavy lifting in your life as is. Everything just feels heavier when you’re dealing with depression and anxiety. And you’re just a little (or even a lot) beyond wanting to build up those guns of yours or sashay around in a bikini to show off your washboard abs. I getcha. Because I’ve been there myself.
But here’s a little news flash that may change your mind. Strength training can work wonders for attacking symptoms of depression and anxiety. That’s right. And if you’re reading this blog, you’re probably interested in learning a little more about that. So, let’s get to it!
Strength training can work wonders for building strength AND for attacking symptoms of depression and anxiety.
3 biochemical processes strength training ignites that work in attacking symptoms of depression and anxiety
It’s not a bunch of malarky. I promise! Because scientific research confirms that strength training alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety. And multiple research studies have concluded that the antidepressant effects from this form of exercise work long-term.
And as you may know, exercise in general plays a major role in mental health. There are numerous emotional benefits of exercise. Some people even claim that exercise has helped them overcome symptoms of depression and anxiety when antidepressants just didn’t work.
Exercise in general plays a major role in mental health.
But for now, let’s focus on strength training.
Specifically, strength training works for attacking depression and anxiety by:
- Sparking the release of endorphins. And as you may have heard, endorphins make you feel good. They can kick you up and right out of your slump.
How so? Well, endorphins carry messages through your nervous system and attach them to the brain’s reward center which holds opioid receptors. These mighty little endorphins can even fend off signals associated with pain.
Exercise sparks the release of endorphins, and endorphins make you feel joy – a first line of defense against symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Activating the release of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF). When you lift weights, you encourage the release of BDNF in the hippocampus, which is a small area in the brain that regulates your mood. BDNF levels bottom out in those struggling with depression. And as a result, areas in the brain like the hippocampus begin to shrink over time. But the BDNF release triggered by strength training encourages new brain cell growth. The hippocampus expands to reach its normal size. This then improves the flow of neurotransmitters between cells. The more hippocampus you have, the better you’re able to regulate your mood. A relatively small amount of exercise can stop and reverse the loss of the BDNF hormone to protect the brain and start attacking symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Triggering the release of Norepinephrine. And this neurotransmitter boosts your energy and helps you focus, among other things. When you don’t have enough norepinephrine, you’re more likely to suffer with depression and anxiety. You get the idea.
4 more reasons strength training works in attacking depression and anxiety
In addition to the above-mentioned biochemical reactions, strength training may help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression by:
- Breaking the continuous worry cycle. When struggling with depression and anxiety, you likely worry – a lot! And you can spiral down into negative thought patterns. But strength training will distract you from all that worry and negativity as you focus more on physical sensations and movement.
Those struggling with depression and anxiety tend to worry – a lot! Strength training can help break that endless worry cycle.
- Providing opportunities for social support. Ever heard of a workout buddy? Well, it’s a good thing to have if you’re starting a strength training program for attacking depression and anxiety. First, you’re more likely to reach your exercise goals if you have a workout buddy. And second, you’ll benefit from the social support this workout buddy gives you. And multiple research studies indicate that social support plays a ginormous role in helping a person heal from symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Social support can really lift a person up and out of a slump and plays a huge role in healing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Building self-esteem. For one thing, boosts in endorphins improve self-esteem. And when you finish up that strength training workout, you’ll feel accomplished. And any sense of achievement can make us feel a little better about ourselves. Then when we feel better about ourselves, we’re well on our way to healing from depression and anxiety.
- Improving posture. For real! No joke here. Strength training builds and stabilizes muscles that prevent the old back hunch and shoulder slump. Mom may not have been harping on you to stand up tall because she thought it would improve your mental health. But research does pin better posture to a better mood. And as you well know, an improved mood is a first line of defense in attacking symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Research links better posture with a better mood, and an improved mood is a first line of defense in attacking symptoms of depression and anxiety.
But what if I just hate the idea of lifting weights, even if it good for attacking symptoms of depression and anxiety?
No worries if you’re not too into the idea of pumping iron. (I get that!) Because resistance training is another word for strength training. And the definition of resistance training explains that it can involve weights, bands, or a person’s won body weight. And you’ll get the same benefits for healing symptoms of depression and anxiety whether you use regular weights or your own body weight in strength/resistance training.
Here’s a short list of resistance training exercises:
- Pilates, a full body workout designed to improve strength, muscle tone, balance, mobility, stability, and flexibility. It can also help heal injuries. (And heal symptoms of depression and anxiety!)
Planks are a core move in the practice of Pilates, a form of resistance training that can help you overcome symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- Barre, a full body workout kind of like Pilates that focuses on smaller body parts and incorporates low-range repetitive movements. It concentrates more on the lower body, building strength from the ground up. And yep, it offers benefits for your mental health.
- Yoga, a mind-body practice that builds strength and flexibility. It can also help manage stress and minimize pain. And it undoubtedly benefits anyone suffering with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Practicing yoga is a mind-body practice and form of resistance training that builds strength and flexibility. You can practice yoga to help alleviate your symptoms of depression and anxiety.
But how much strength training should you do to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety?
Good question. How much strength (or resistance) training should you do to heal your symptoms of depression and anxiety?
Well honestly, you can do as much as you’d like as long as you don’t overdo it and injure yourself. In their book Exercise for Mood and Anxiety, Michael Otto and Jasper Smits note that studies have shown how depression levels decrease during the first week you start exercising and continue going down as you continue to exercise.
But if you start too heavy or hit it too hard in the beginning, you really ante up your odds for an injury. And an injury can sideline you for a while. Then that time you spend on the sidelines can aggravate your symptoms of depression and anxiety – defeating the whole purpose of doing those strength training exercises in the first place. That’s because the negative feelings associated with failing to reach a goal can deflate your mood and send you on a downward spiral into the depths of depression.
Start with two to three 20–30-minute strength or resistance training sessions each week to beat symptoms of depression and anxiety. Kick that off with numbers on the lower side – so about two twenty-minute sessions at first. Then build up from there.
Start with two to three 20–30-minute strength or resistance training sessions each week to beat symptoms of depression and anxiety. And yes! Yoga is a form of resistance training 😊.
And to wrap up these strong points for using strength training for attacking depression and anxiety..
Sometimes the quest for improving symptoms of depression and anxiety through strength training turns into a long game. But don’t give up! It might even take more than a few weeks of strength training to overcome major depressive disorder. Stick with the one day at a time approach. Because you can benefit from a mood boost each time you exercise. You may not feel overjoyed during the workout, but you’ll likely feel pretty great afterward. And you will get there. You’ll see.
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