I did cardio and yoga regularly in an effort to manage my depression. I ended up heart-healthy and relaxed and depressed.

And of course, "It didn't work for me, although I know it works for many" is pretty much the same thing one can say of every drug and talk therapy intervention...

Hope you did eventually find something that helped!

For many, exercise along with therapy and/or a drug regimen does work much better than just drugs. While there is a downside to the drugs, exercise can only help.

...but I hate to think where I'd be if I didn't do it, mainly weight-wise.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."

-John Muir, Our National Parks, 1901
US (Scottish-born) conservationist & naturalist (1838 - 1914)

for sharing it.

Love the Thomas Jefferson quote too.

Same concept. Not as eloquent.

"Achieve a heart rate that is 50 to 85 percent higher than the participant's maximum heart rate"

Ummm what? I think it was mean to say minimum? Or maybe "percentage of" rather than "higher than"?

what was intended. 50 to 85% higher would be a death sentence.

I still have some depression and anxiety, but the exercise helps quite a bit. I know it would be much worse without it. I look better, and feel better about myself, too.

I have panic disorder. I have not hand an attack now in 12 years (therapy helped a lot, so does working out). I have felt some anxiety off an on, but when I'm regularly exercising I never seem to feel anxiety on a level that bothers me.

for me, that is. I work out regularly but still have to take my meds. I am not messing with this formula--I am grateful to be able to get through a day like an almost normal person.

I lost 50 lbs and started to get successful in my career and the horrible depression I used to deal with has been minimized extremely. It comes back to some extent when I'm underwhelmed and don't keep myself busy, but I used to sleep 10-12 hours a day and pretty much hate life 24/7. I look back and still wonder why.

Well, for folks with chronic fatigue and/or ehlers-danlos type III, (a congenital connective tissue disease that some researchers are starting to wonder is at the heart of a lot of these multisystemic diseases), post-exertional malaise is very, very real (and it's been measured in controlled experiments).

The tough thing about these conditions, which are often comingled with major depression (some because of circumstances, others because at least in EDS, there may be a brain-related disorder as well), is that it's hard to know precisely at what point a threshold is reached past which point malaise will set in and make everything worse.

The whole "just exercise six days a week and de-stress" thing, when told to patients with these conditions, is insensitive of doctors to the realities of their patients.

I know they mean well, but yoga to hypermobile people with EDS makes it worse, as does strenuous exercise. Mild exercise is good.

And strenuous exercise sucks for chronic fatigue patients too. Conditioning and mild exercise is good--the average exercise program, not so much.

I'll do 4-5 miles a day. I found in winter it helped with my seasonal disorder.

At least that is what works for me.

If you aren't up to running then alternate jogging and walking, say 30 seconds of each. half hour to an hour a day.

Basically, the more you breath the better. It's all about consuming oxygen, not being fast, not looking cool, not setting records; just do whatever gets you breathing hard, but not so hard you can't talk, for as long as possible.

Red blood cells carry oxygen to all the cells of the body and oxygen is key to repairing and/or maintaining healthy organs, muscles, tissues etc. Also, exercise is a great mental filter and stress buster.

Hadn't thought of that. Cool!

I personally detest working out in a gym, but I love cycling and walking in the outdoors. It feels especially satisfying to combine major errands with cycling or walking huge distances.

I've often suspected the high rate of depression in our society is partly explained by our lack of outdoor activity and exposure to greenery. I bet park rangers suffer low rates of depression, though I have no studies to back that up.

But I get relief from my depression with a combo of both now-walking/running outside in the early morning (which I've done for years) but I added or substituted Zumba several times a week and my energy/mood has become even better.
We have the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi and I've chosen to walk/run behind it when I can. You'd think the smell of bears, mountain lions, etc. would make me feel anxious, but I feel especially exhilarated on those days.

feel bad and it may follow that if a epressed person maintains or adds to muscle mass, or tone at least, that's one less issue to deal with.
Good luck.

better off. Walking leads to more walking and other exercises also because it just fells good. Start with what you can do ... 5 or 10 mins then work up from there. Consult your doctor please.

and the fact that it's hard to brood about your problems when you're at 80% of your maximum heart rate.

That's why I take classes at the gym. It's more social.

do an exercise for the whole body- what ever you can do as intensely fast as you can for one min. rest one min. and repete once.

During your week try not to sit for long periods, and walk when ever you can.

As the article says people quit exercise programs all the time. Though it is good for depressed people to get out of the house and do something they enjoy. Even a favorite hobby could help.

Do try the burst exercise, it really deplete the muscles of their glycogen and helps adjusts metabolism, lower cholesterol. Run in place like a crazy person with flailing arms (do something that uses your entire body), be very, very intense for that short min.

By the time I reach the top I'm breathing pretty hard. I might start doing it twice. Since I've been doing it almost feels like I've got bionic legs.

I start every odd-morning with 35 knee-pushups and 15 horizontal body pull ups which is pretty burst intensive too. On even-date mornings I do 50 situps.

What is ideal is probably variable based on a variety of individual factors.