Exercise is good for mental health and chases away depression

A report published in the journal Noabol stated that exercise leads to beneficial changes in the brain, including the production of new brain cells that can help relieve depression.

The report pointed out that recent research findings indicate that people who exercise have longer lives and better health, not only in terms of physical but also mental health.

Researchers have found that physical exercise not only affects the muscles, heart and blood vessels, but almost every part of the body, from the immune system to the brain to the energy systems of the body's cells.

Exercise also helps protect against dementia and Alzheimer's disease with age, as well as having profound effects on the structure of the brain itself, especially in areas most affected by depression and schizophrenia.

Exercise also provides other mental health benefits such as focus, a sense of accomplishment, and motivation through simple exercises, like daily walking.

The researchers concluded that exercise is clearly as effective as antidepressants.

The significance of these findings is that antidepressant drugs typically take several weeks or months to show their full effect, unlike exercise, which can immediately improve mood.

The researchers added that exercise can counteract some of the harmful side effects of antidepressants, such as weight gain.

Scientists explained that physical exercise activates the brain as well as the body, because physical exercise leads to the release of a protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is one of the key molecules that encourages the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus. , an area of ​​the brain important for memory and learning.

Physical activity also dampens the body's response to stress and reduces inflammation, which may help improve brain health in people with mental illness.