Contents

Definition

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is:

So, there is a clear difference between feeling bad and being depressed.

Depression means you are unable to function at work and at home. 

Most depressed people in the U.S. are between 18-25 years.

If these numbers are relatively high amongst young adults...

...then what is the cause?

What causes depression?

What we know is that depression can be caused by a lot of things:

A picture says more than a 1000 words.

And big depressions are caused by more than just 1 factor, according to the Journal of American Psychiatry. 

There is no magic pill. 

And if there is, you will benefit more from it if you also change your lifestyle.

The science

First, depressed people generally exercise less than non-depressed people.

A study in the journal of Clinical Psychiatry shows a whopping 80% decrease in work capacity compared to people of the same age.

That's a pretty big difference:

Secondly, the same study shows exercise improves mood.

People who exercise at a moderate intensity of 60-80% of their max heart-rate should experience benefits already.

And feel happier.

That does not mean more is better.

It means the right amount is what you are looking for:

More importantly...

...moderate means it does not take you a lot of time.

What researchers found is that even walking 20-40 minutes a day 3 times a week can alleviate symptoms already.

On top of that, research also shows that the benefits seem to be long-lasting.

According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, whether you lift weights or do cardio, both are great at reducing symptoms of depression. 

Surprisingly enough, they could even be as effective at treating depression as going to a therapist or taking medication. 

But you must understand that exercise often works slower.

For example, in this study 70% of participants in the exercise group had a lower rate of depression, compared to 48% of the medication group. 

Treatment is considered accepted at 50% successrate.

So it's well worth the try.

A quick summary of what you should takeaway from this post:

DISCLAIMER: These benefits ARE NOT meant to argue against the use of anti-depressant medication or psychological therapies.

The evidence shows that calisthenics exercise can be a powerful addition to existing treatments.

And the advantage of calisthenics is...

...that the world is your GYM.

Knock out your depression

Sometimes life is like the 5th round in a do-or-die fight...

...it hits you in the face without a warning.

But when you get up...

You punch life back in the face with EVERYTHING you have.

And when that punch lands and trust me IT WILL.

You'll be the one standing when the bell rings.

*Fist bump*

Now I’d like to hear from you:

Did this post inspire you to work on your depression?

Or maybe you have a question.

Either way, leave a quick comment below right now.