30-minute afternoon workout improves mood for patients with depression

Performing 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at the end of the day can help improve mood in patients with unipolar depression and does not affect sleepsuggested a recent study.

The researchers divided into two groups of 92 patients; in the first group, they did a 30-minute supervised workout on a stationary bike at 4:45 p.m., and in the second group, they read a book for 30 minutes at the same time. Participants completed a mood questionnaire before and after these 30-minute sessions; Sleep efficiency was also measured by polysomnography and subjective findings such as sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and mood have been reported.

Sleep efficiency did not differ between groups, report the authors of to study, published in the scientific journal To sleep, of Oxford University. However, aerobic exercise was strongly associated with improved mood and did not appear to adversely affect sleep quality or daytime sleepiness.

“A single 30-minute session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise seems to be enough stimulus to immediately improve mood. after the exercise session, however, this might not be enough to affect sleep a few hours later, ”said the study’s lead author, Gavin Bruppacher, researcher in sports and exercise medicine at University of Basel, in Swiss.

“We were surprised that none of the sleep-related outcomes were affected by the intervention, as some positive effects were shown in patients with insomnia and healthy individuals.»Commented Bruppbacher.

In the intervention group, exercise sessions began with a 5-minute warm-up, then patients worked at 80% of the individual anaerobic threshold for 30 minutes.

Researchers assessed mood using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which includes questions about feeling discouraged, depressed or hopeless; the Hospital and Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS); and the perceived stress scale.

In addition to the efficiency of sleep, The study also assessed total sleep time, sleep onset latency, awakening after falling asleep, number of awakenings, percentage of total sleep time at different stages of sleep, and REM sleep. as a percentage of total sleep time. The researchers also looked at the subjective quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness.

How Does Exercise Help Fight Depression and Anxiety?

According to Mayo Clinic, regular exercise can help relieve depression and anxiety and allow you to:

-Release endorphins, Natural brain chemicals similar to cannabis (endogenous cannabinoids) and other natural brain chemicals that can improve feelings of well-being

-Remove worries from the mind to break the cycle of negative thoughts that fuel depression and anxiety

Regular exercise also has many psychological and emotional benefits. It can help:

-Gain someone’s trust. Achieving even small exercise goals or challenges can build individual confidence. Getting in shape can also help you feel better about your appearance.

-Have more social interaction. Exercise and physical activity can provide an opportunity to meet and socialize with other people. A simple gesture like exchanging a friendly smile or saying hello as you walk around the neighborhood can improve your mood.

-Cope with problems in a healthy way. Doing something positive to control anxiety or depression is a healthy strategy.

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