Depression is a widespread health concern that has most likely touched your life in one way or another. The prevalence of it can be heartbreaking, whether it’s your well-being at stake, a friend, or a loved one. While depression can impact anyone, some people are genetically predisposed to it, making their chance of having it higher. This is why it’s paramount to find answers and ways to help reduce the risk of depression for people who suffer from it. Even if your genetics say otherwise, there are ways to help reduce it. An easy place to start is to move your feet and get some exercise! Here’s how our genes play a role in depression and how exercise may help.
Understanding Genetic Risk
Like the many other traits we inherit from our parents, certain health risks like depression may be passed on, too. While science has yet to pinpoint the exact genes responsible for depression, they know that multiple genes are to blame.
Because multiple genes are responsible for the increased risk, different people have different levels of depression, even if they all have some of the shared genes. If you do carry those genes, it doesn't mean that destined to have depression because of it. If you suffer from depression or are at a higher risk from it, we mentioned earlier how exercise may help.
The Impact of Exercise on Depression
There will be days when you’re not in the mood to move, but exercise is important to our overall health. In terms of depression, it may dramatically reduce the risk-people who exercise regularly have a lower risk of depression than those who don’t.
For people who use the excuse that they don't exercise because they don’t like running, there are many different types of activities you can opt for instead. You can do a high-intensity workout like basketball or running, or, if you prefer, you can do a low-intensity activity like yoga, walking, or gardening.
Not only can such an easy lifestyle change help minimize the risk of depression, but it may also inspire positive changes to other aspects of your physical health, making an exercise regimen a win-win.
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Resources:
Livescience. Exercise May Help Ward Off Depression, Even If You're Genetically Prone to It. https://www.livescience.com/depression-genetic-risk-exercise.html
Livescience. Game-Changing Study Finds Dozens of Genes Tied to Depression. https://www.livescience.com/62432-massive-study-depression-genes.html
National Institute of Mental Health. Major Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression.shtml
EurekAlert. Physical activity may protect against new episodes of depression. Physical activity may protect against new episodes of depression | EurekAlert! Science News
MedlinePlus. Depression. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/depression/#genes
CDC. Physical Activity. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/healthtopics/physactivity.htm
Mayo Clinic. Depression and anxiety: Exercise Eases Symptoms. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495
