Depression Articles

Conquering Stress and Depression with Exercise

One of the best ways to combat stress and depression is to make physical fitness a part of your daily routine. Aside from the proven health benefits of exercise, people who exercise regularly are more apt to deal with stressful situations more easily, handle physical work tasks better, and tend to be less susceptible to illness and injuries.

There are a number of reasons we have for not exercising. Maybe you are turned off from your prior experience with a fitness routine. Perhaps you became sore from working out too hard, didn't know the correct technique and ended up hurting yourself, or felt intimidated by the hard bodies at the gym. The main reason may simple by time; with your busy schedules you may feel that you cant devote the proper amount of time to see and feel the benefits of exercise and that this will take away from your clients. In truth the psychological benefits that you will feel will actually benefit your work and make you more productive.

If getting in shape, losing weight, and feeling better are your fitness goals, you have to make exercise part of your routine. In order to achieve results, it has to be planned into your day much like your work schedule.

Whether you're 30 or 90 years old, the time is now to begin an exercise program. Some of you may think that you're too old to exercise but that's a fallacy. A study was conducted by Tufts University where participants, ages 87 to 96, went on a strength training program. Much to their amazement, they all showed vast improvement in strength and vitality. Exercise can reduce many of the adverse effects of aging. Exercise will raise your metabolism and increase muscle mass while lowering body fat. Through exercise you'll also notice an improvement in motor skills and greater flexibility.

While the physical benefits of exercise are well known an even greater value may be the psychological benefits that a sensible fitness routine can bring. You'll see an increase in self esteem and have a better outlook towards life. It will also help ease depression and relieve stress and anxiety. You'll notice improved energy, concentration and a more relaxed sleep.

There are two forms of exercise, aerobic and strength training. Aerobic exercise is defined as anything that requires oxygen to move the large muscle groups of the body. Some examples include: indoor and outdoor biking, rowing, walking, jogging, and swimming.

Aerobic exercise gets your heart in better shape. This will help when you are playing with your children, running for the bus, or washing your car. This is called functional fitness. Being functionally fit keeps your heart and lungs healthy, while making every day tasks easier. Being in better aerobic condition is also important for lowering stress. Haven't you heard the saying, "walk it off," after an upsetting moment?

While aerobic exercise is important, I certainly don't want to overwhelm you with the notion of it. You can start off with 5 minutes and work up to 25 or 30 minutes a day. If you like, divide that time into two parts with15 minutes here and 15 minutes there.

When it comes to aerobic exercise, you know that you are exercising at the right level if you can carry on a conversation while doing it. If you are too breathless to talk, then you are exercising too hard. On the other hand, if you can sing during aerobic exercise, the intensity is not hard enough.

You can make exercise a natural part of your day by parking at the far end of the lot and walking the extra distance to your office then taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Or how about mowing the lawn instead of hiring a landscaper?

Strength training or body shaping develops and tones muscle and bone mass. You should exercise all the major groups three nonconsecutive days per week. Some rules to follow include:

▪ Go easy at first. Don't set impossible goals or expect too much too fast. Start gradually.

▪ Keep the weight light. It is much better to build up slowly, rather than use weights that are too heavy. If the weight is too heavy, your form will get sloppy and you will be more prone to injury. Don't let your ego get in the way.

▪ Work the larger muscle groups first, and then proceed to the smaller ones. Start with the quadriceps (front of thighs), then hamstrings (back of thighs), chest, back, shoulders, triceps (back of arms) and finish with biceps (front of upper arms).

▪ Move slowly and smoothly. Perform each repetition in a slow and deliberate manner, taking three seconds to complete the movement. At the top of the movement, when the muscle is clinched tight, hold it for two seconds. Then take four seconds, resisting gravity, as you finish the movement.

▪ Progress gradually. You want to complete 8 to 12 repetitions for each exercise. If you have difficulty completing 8 repetitions of an exercise with very strict form, it means the weight is too heavy. You are better off using a lighter weight. If you can easily complete more than 12 repetitions, you need to increase the weight slightly—ideally, between five and 10 percent.

▪ Drink your water. It makes sense to keep a water bottle nearby to keep your body properly hydrated. Not only is dehydration unhealthy, it can also make you feel sluggish, and give you a headache.

Try these exercises whenever you need let off steam. If you're feeling stressed at the office or during a hectic trial, the focus that these exercises require can help to relieve your anxiety.

Squats This exercise concentrates on the front of your thighs. Because this is a compound movement, other muscles groups come into play such as the backs of your thighs and your buttocks.

Position

Stand upright with your arms in front of your body for balance. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Keep your upper back straight, your head up and look forward (this will help keep your lower back from rounding). Movement

Inhale as you bend your knees, keeping your shins perpendicular to the floor, lower your butt until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor for 4 seconds, feel the stretch in the front of your thighs. Pause for one-half second. Exhale as you straighten your legs taking 3 seconds. Extra stretch: Bend your knees, round your back, keep your head down, and feel the stretch in your lower back and the back of your thighs, hold for 15 seconds.

Do not:
Round your back at any time.
Allow your knees to go further than your toes.
Allow your thighs to go below parallel to the floor at the bottom of the movement.
Bounce your body in an attempt to gain momentum.
Lock your knees at the top.

Wall Push-Up
For your chest.
Position

Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Keep your back straight and your stomach tight.
The closer your feet are to the wall, the easier the push up movement will be.
Place your palms on the wall, fingers forward, your hands at chest level, about 4 inches wider than shoulder-width.
Bend your elbows.
Movement

Take 3 seconds to exhale through your mouth while pushing yourself away from the wall.

Straightening your arms, make sure that your elbows are not locked at the top of the movement.

Feel the tension leaving your body.

Pause for 1/2 second.

Inhale through your nose, as you bend your elbows and move your body for 4 seconds until your chest touches the wall.

Jeff Rutstein is an internationally respected fitness authority. Jeff has been featured in The Washington Post, Reuters, CNN, and countless other media outlets. He has developed a unique approach to exercise he calls mindful movements. Jeff now shares his philosophy in his acclaimed book, Rutstein on Fitness. For more information, go to http://www.rutsteinonfitness.com

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

MORE ARTICLES:

Depression │ How Depression Hurts Your Heart
As if feeling bad weren?t enough, negative emotions could be harming your heart. Over time, persistent blues, anxiety or anger can increase the risk of heart disease?or make an existing condition worse. ?Psychosocial factors are increasingly recognized as important predictors of heart disease,? says Richard Stein, M.D., director of preventive cardiology at the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York and author of "Outliving Heart Disease." ?Depression is right up there with high cholesterol, smoking and high blood pressure as risk factors for heart attack.? Hostility and anxiety, says Dr. Stein, aren?t far behind.

Major Depression and Manic Depression — Any Difference?
Countless number of patients and their family members have asked me about manic–depression and major depression. "Is there any difference?" "Are they one and the same?" "Is the treatment the same?" And so on.

Anxiety and Depression - Why Depression Drugs May Not Be Necessary - Fight Depression Naturally
Millions of people, especially in the United States, are currently suffering the symptoms of depression, and have even gone as far as taking prescription antidepressants that may have harmful side effects and dampen the quality of their life in other ways in the hopes it will just go away.The fact is, many prescription antidepressant drugs do have undesirable side effects that really can affect other areas of your life, but they are looked at by many as "the lesser of two evils".

Treatment-resistant Depression: When Standard Treatments Fail, Patients With Chronic Depression Have Other Options
Many but not all people with depression get better with standard treatment of medication and psychotherapy. New information on MayoClinic.com covers many options to consider when standard depression treatments don't help.

Depression Tests: A Great Help in Diagnosing Depression Disorders
Depression tests are given by health providers in order to assess the level of depression of the patient Different Depression Tests vary not only in their set of questions but on their assessment procedures as well

Depression - Checklists of Symptoms of Clinical Depression
The more common and easily identifiable symptoms of depression are:

Anxiety and Depression Treatment - 5 Tips for Beating Depression
Everyone has days when they are down, worn out and just not feeling all that happy.That's OK, you need to have days like this, otherwise how would you know when you are happy.

Depression Faq: Finding Help For Someone With Depression
* How do I know if a friend of loved one is experiencing depression?

Depression Tests - How To Diagnose Depression with Depression Tests
Depression is a very vague term, that confuses a lot of people. It's hard to tell whether you suffer from depression or not. However, there are certain depression tests are out there to help diagnose someone suffering from depression, and what kind of treatment is required, based on the type of depression they may suffer from. If you want to learn about the different depression tests potential depression patients undergo, then you should read this article.

Depression: Effective Treatment Available for Depression
Depression has become a very common disorder, these days. The condition is very common among people who have to deal with hectic schedule, severe competition and a lot of problems related to daily life. Some people are able to overcome depression easily but others take it to heart and get seriously ill.

Depression in Men - Causes of Depression in Men
There are many symptoms which cause depression. The symptoms for depression in men is different than for women. In this article, I will give you some of the causes of depression in men as well as some options that are available to you.

Depression ? What You Should Know About Depression
A lot has been said, written and preached about depression Many researches and analysis have been made in this regard

Depression  Natural Supplements to Treat Depression
Depression is a disorder of mind. In depression the brain chemistry gets affected. The common symptoms of depression are guilty feeling, sadness, suicidal thoughts, lack in concentration, loss in energy, loss of interest in life etc. If anyone observes these type of symptoms then he must go to a doctor for consultancy. The patient can be diagnosed in several ways depending upon his age and situation. He can be treated with allopathic medicines, by counseling etc.

Depression And Teens - Six Signs That Your Child May Be Suffering From Depression
Most people are now aware of the seriousness of depression. This has become much more common and more widely accepted as a serious illness in our society today, than it has been in the past. As a matter of fact, sixteen percent of our population here in America has been diagnosed with depression. Of that sixteen percent, ten percent are women, almost twice as many as men. Most people aren't aware that many people start having feelings of depression during their childhood years. As a matter of fact, most parents are not even aware that their child may have a problem until it's too late.