Gabriella Karanikos

Ms. Thomson
AP English Language and Composition
Wednesday, 31 January, 2018

Aerobic Exercise Treats Depression

When feeling depressed, most individuals want to stay in their homes and not interact with

the outside world. Having untreated depression, can lead to physical illness or lead to chronic

health conditions (Egen). While mental disorders are treatable, only 36.9% of people who suffer

from these disorders are receiving medical treatment (“Exercise for Stress and Anxiety”). This

low number can be a result of many things including the cost of medical bills, religious beliefs,

or not believing in taking medications. There is an alternative treatment method that is free of

charge, religion friendly, and side-effect free: aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise helps those with

depression through the release of endorphins and serotonin.

In order to treat any illness, first knowing what is causing the illness is important. When

diagnosing illnesses, mental or physical, there are many factors that must be carefully scrutinized

in order to have an accurate diagnosis. Depression is no exception. Chemical imbalances are one

of the many things that can cause depression to occur. Neurotransmitters are chemical signals

that are released by neurons to transfer messages to different parts of the brain (“Brain Basics”).

When an individual has depression, it can be the result of poor communication between neurons

in the brain. Serotonin and glutamate, among others, are naturally occurring chemicals, or

neurotransmitters, that are produced by the human body. Serotonin helps to control an

individual's mood, appetite, and sleep habits. According to James McIntosh from Medical News

Today, "Serotonin is especially active in contributing to happiness, and a deficit of serotonin can

lead to depression" (“Serotonin: Facts, What Does Serotonin Do?”). Glutamate is an excitatory

transmitter, meaning that when it is released the chances that the neuron will fire, increases
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(“Brain Basics”). When there are lower levels of glutamate, there is less electrical flow among

brain cells, which is vital for normal function. Not being able to produce or use the correct

amount of glutamate can lead to depression, as well as other mental illnesses.

In addition to possible chemical imbalances which affect neurotransmitters, the hippocampus

can have a large influence on an individual. According to Dr. Anaya Mandal, “The hippocampus

is a small organ located within the brain's medial temporal lobe and forms an important part of

the limbic system, the region that regulates emotions” (“Hippocampus Functions”). The

hippocampus is the “heart of the brain” due to how it affects not only memory and emotion, but

vision, hearing, and touch as well (Dresden). Stress-inducing situations can have negative effects

on the hippocampus causing it to reduce in volume. Hippocampal volume reduction was

something that had frequently been found in studies for sufferers of depression (Cruz). Having a

healthy body is important because it is the tool that allows for individuals to complete simple and

complex tasks. Having a healthy brain is more important because without a healthy brain one

cannot complete the simplest of tasks.

Generally speaking, maintaining a healthy body and brain can be done through aerobic

exercise. Aerobic exercise includes a plethora of activities, including – running, walking,

swimming, dancing, and many more (Weil). The majority of the population sees exercise as

simply a way to keep fit, however there is far more to exercise than just maintaining fitness.

Specifically, aerobic exercise has known benefits for both physical and emotional health.

Performing regular aerobic exercise can help to prevent the chances of developing many

different diseases, both mental and physical. According to the Mayo Clinic, “aerobic exercise

helps to keep arteries clear, manage chronic conditions, and reduce health risks” (“10 Great

Reasons to Love Aerobic Exercise”). In addition to these physical benefits, there are mental
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benefits as well. After completing a workout in which aerobic exercise was performed, there

have often been reports of a “runner’s high” (Quintanilla). The “runners high” that is felt is due

to a release of chemicals within the brain. These chemicals are known as endorphins, and they

act as neurotransmitters. In addition to the release of endorphins, serotonin, which is also a

neurotransmitter, is created and released within the brain. The chemical and physical changes

that occur are positive and addicting. The “runners high” gives off a euphoric feeling, giving

people the feeling of “being on top of the world.” The physical benefits are long-lasting and

makes individuals feel healthier and happier.

Altogether, aerobic exercise not only allows individuals to maintain physical benefits, but

mental benefits too. Those with depression are often prescribed medications to help reduce their

symptoms, or to help manage them. According to WebMD, “Antidepressants work by balancing

chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters that affect mood and emotions” (“How Your

Depression Medicine Can Affect Your Life”). While medications can counter-act the chemical

changes in the brain, aerobic exercise can do the same thing. The low serotonin levels that are

found in those who are depressed, can be regulated through aerobic exercise due to the

production and release of the chemical when performing aerobic exercise. The serotonin is able

to speed up the slowed-down neurotransmitters, which are largely responsible for happiness and

mood-regulation (McIntosh). Serotonin can also work to reduce stress-inducing chemicals such

as adrenaline. Having reduced stress is important due to the effects stress can have on the

hippocampus. Reduced stress levels allow those with depression to heal, while also giving the

hippocampus time to recover.

Furthermore, as endorphins are released, it triggers a positive feeling within the body,

similar to that of morphine. Exercise can become addictive due to the positive feeling that
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individuals feel. This addictive side-effect that can occur is not a negative one. When getting

addicted to morphine or other drugs, the body goes through severe withdrawal symptoms.

However, if an individual stops exercising there are no withdrawal symptoms. The release of

endorphins also give off an energized feeling and allows the individual to have a positive outlook

on life, which is vital for those with depression. According to Edward Shorter, “If you feel

hopeless it’s not because there’s no hope at all in your life. It’s because you feel there’s none.

This feeling is typically a sign of melancholic depression” (“Sad, Worthless, Hopeless?”).

Aerobic exercise can help to combat these feelings, and it is highly recommended. While

combatting the chemical changes within the brain that causes depression, aerobic exercise also

has long-lasting physical benefits which boosts overall well-being. Regular exercise is proven to

strengthen the heart, increase energy levels, lower blood pressure, and strengthen and build

bones (“Exercise and Depression”). A combination of all of these different factors lead to a

healthier individual both mentally and physically.

Given these points, aerobic exercise helps those with depression by releasing endorphins and

serotonin. While helping those with depression by balancing chemicals in their brains, it also

helps them physically. According to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of

Health, “Research has also shown that depressed patients are less fit and have diminished

physical work capacity on the order of 80% to 90% of age-predicted norms, which in turn may

contribute to other physical health problems” (“Brain Basics”) This is showing that aerobic

exercise will help those with depression by improving their physical health. Aerobic exercise is a

powerful, cost effective, side-affect free treatment option for those with depression.
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Works Cited

“10 Great Reasons to Love Aerobic Exercise.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical

Education and Research, 24 Feb. 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-

depth/aerobic-exercise/art-20045541?pg=2

“Brain Basics.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/educational-resources/brain-basics/brain-

basics.shtml.

Craft, Lynette L., and Frank M. Perna. “The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed.”

Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Physicians Postgraduate

Press, Inc., 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC474733/.

Cruz, Christopher. “Suffering From Major Depression May Shrink The Brain's Hippocampus.”

Medical Daily, 1 July 2015, www.medicaldaily.com/suffering-major-depression-may-

shrink-brains-hippocampus-340592.

Dresden, Danielle. “Hippocampus: Function, Size, and Problems.” Medical News Today,

MediLexicon International, 7 Dec. 2017,

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313295.php.

Egen, Sean P. “8 Facts About Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders.” Addiction Treatment | Elements |

Drug Rehab Treatment Centers, 16 Dec. 2016,

www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com/mental-health/8-facts-anxiety-anxiety-disorders/.

“Exercise and Depression.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-

depression#1.
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“Exercise for Stress and Anxiety.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, 2016,

adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/managing-anxiety/exercise-stress-and-anxiety.

“How Your Depression Medicine Can Affect Your Life.” WebMD, WebMD,

www.webmd.com/depression/features/antidepressant-effects#1.

Mandal, MD Dr Ananya. “Hippocampus Functions.” News-Medical.net, 14 Jan. 2014,

www.news-medical.net/health/Hippocampus-Functions.aspx.

McIntosh, James. “Serotonin: Facts, What Does Serotonin Do?” Medical News Today,

MediLexicon International, 29 Apr. 2016, www.medicalnewstoday.com/kc/serotonin-

facts-232248.

Quintanilla, Tue, February 18, 2014, Doris. “Cure Depression Through Runner's High.” PSYweb

Complete Mental Health Site, 28 Feb. 2014, www.psyweb.com/articles/depression-

treatment/cure-depression-through-runner%E2%80%99s-high.

Shorter, Edward. “Sad, Worthless, Hopeless?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 21 June

2014, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/how-everyone-became-depressed/201406/sad-

worthless-hopeless.

Weil, Richard, M.Ed. “Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise: Examples and Benefits.” MedicineNet,

www.medicinenet.com/aerobic_exercise/article.htm.