Depression is a sense of being sad. Sadness in itself is a normal emotion that everyone experiences during life but depression is more than feeling just sad - it is rightly defined as a cluster of symptoms. Usually, clinical depression happens when a person experiences at least five of nine symptoms for a period of at least two weeks or longer. These symptoms can be loosely classified into (i) physical and (ii) cognitive-emotional symptoms. Physical symptoms include changes in sleep or appetite patterns, fatigue and psychomotor agitation or retardation (the speeding up or slowing down of movements) and the cognitive-emotional symptoms range from sadness, decreased concentration, a loss of interest and pleasure, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and even a impulse to commit suicide.

In today’s times, it is not surprising that many of us lead stressful lives and almost everyone has a few bad days or nights. When someone is depressed it is difficult for him or her to know what is normal and if one is actually depressed. Depression is widespread and affects a huge population over the world. The illness depression is more than just feeling down or sad for a day or two because in this condition, those feelings are with people most of the time and for longer than two weeks, and often people also do not derive interest or pleasure in any activity. Depression is often known to cause physical disorders such as headaches, fatigue and abdominal pain. To many this may sound like depression may be easy to recognize but nothing could be farther from the truth - at least half of its sufferers do not get proper treatment.

Depression is by far the most common psychological disorder. The prevalence of depression in both U.S. and European populations is estimated at any given time to range from about five to six percent for adolescents, to about 10 to 11 percent for young adults, to as high as 21 percent in elderly populations.

Sir Winston Churchill suffered from depression as did Florence Nightingale.

What about Asia? It isn't that Asians are happier than Americans or Europeans. Evidence suggests that incidences of major depression among adults in Asia is about the same as in the U.S. But the widespread belief that mental illness is a stigma of the worst sort, coupled with the popularity of shamans (Indian medicine doctors) and other alternative healers such as monks, witch doctors and fortune-tellers, have sharply restricted sales of anti-depressants throughout the region. Firstly, most people do not recognize bouts of depression and end up getting ‘treatment’ from local ‘experts’.

The impact of depression on people’s lives is multifaceted and varies from individual to individual. Those who suffer with it often struggle to get out of bed each morning and feel that it takes a Herculean effort to accomplish even the most normal of daily activities. Going to school or work may be difficult and they may be inclined to withdraw from or avoid social interactions. People with depression views themselves in a negative light, their overall thinking tends to become skewed and the brighter side of life does not appeal to them.

Causes of depression

Depression can be caused by a combination of factors.
• It can be hereditary, suggesting a genetic component, but it may be triggered by stressful events.
• Major depressive illness is usually linked to some form of chemical imbalance in the brain.
• It is also thought that people with low self-esteem, a pessimistic outlook on life and difficulty coping with stress are more prone to depression.
• Life events which may trigger depression include bereavement, chronic illness, relationship problems and financial difficulties.

Benefits of Exercise
Researchers have found that jumping on that treadmill or bike is not only good for one’s health, but also can help significantly reduce depression.

There are a number of treatments for depression, including psychotherapy and medication, both of which have been found to be about equally effective by themselves, with the combination of both therapies typically being the most effective. Not everyone is responsive to these treatments, however, and researchers and practitioners have turned to exercise as an adjunct and alternative to the traditional methods. Exercise has long been recognized for its powerful impact on improving physical health, and now is increasingly recognized for improving mental health. There are consistent findings in research literature that exercise is most helpful for those with mild to moderate depression. Some evidence suggests that its effectiveness is comparable to individual, group, and cognitive therapy, while other evidence indicates that exercise is comparable to antidepressant medications in reducing symptoms and associated with a smaller likelihood of relapse than medication.

As far as the specific type of exercise that is most helpful, the research findings are still a bit unclear. There are some who have found aerobic exercise more effective than resistance training, while others have found that both are equally effective in reducing depression. What also remains to be determined is exactly what accounts for this positive effect of exercise on depression. Some believe that there is a process that occurs during and after exercise that confers an enduring resilience to stress, and subsequently depression as well. This process may occur through strictly physiological changes that occur in the body as a result of exercise ( e.g., the release of endorphins in the brain that can lead to a “runner’s high”) or it may also occur due in part to the psychological interpretation of exercising ( e.g., setting and accomplishing goals, feeling productive and capable). In all likelihood, it is probably some combination of both that will ultimately explain this process.

Improvements are regularly seen with all types of physical activity. Exercise works best for people with mild symptoms. The exertion need not be too vigorous. In fact, the exercise level can be low because it is not necessary to actually get in shape to benefit from exercise.

The table below lists the Aerobic type of fitness, its benefits, and how to achieve more of a good thing:

Aerobic Capacity
What is it?
Your ability to exercise over several minutes to hours at mild to moderate (not high) intensity. It requires oxygen to be absorbed by your lungs, then transferred to the bloodstream. Oxygen-rich blood is then pumped by your heart to your working muscles. Finally the oxygen is combined with fuel (mainly fats and carbo-hydrates) resulting in muscle energy. Benefits
It can reduce depression and anxiety. Also it lowers blood pressure, improves blood sugar and cholesterol levels, burns fat, and helps prevent cardio-vascular disease and cancer.

Most benefits do not require more than a mild to moderate amount of exercise. How to improve
Maintain your exercise for a minimum of 15 minutes each workout. Although you achieve the greatest gain in aerobic capacity with three to four sessions of 30 minutes each week, daily exercise you improve your capacity and health, even more. Examples include walking, jogging, swimming, cycling and dancing.

More and more physicians and therapists are “prescribing” exercise for their depressed patients. A clinician who wishes to incorporate physical activity into their treatment may help the patient design concrete goals with reasonable planned steps to accomplish them. This process of setting and achieving goals can help the depressed person gain a sense of mastery and accomplishment that is very concrete and serves as evidence against their self critical thoughts. It can also help reduce the sense of fatigue and improve sleep and appetite patterns. Clinicians who are not knowledgeable about various types and routines of exercise should assist the patient in finding a qualified and certified personal trainer to design a safe and effective exercise regimen. Furthermore, as long as the exercise regimen is reviewed with the patient’s physician and approved, there are very few negative side effects from this type of treatment. In other words, it can definitely help and is not likely to hurt.