Let’s get one thing clear: depression and anxiety aren’t just “moods” you can will away with a hard workout. But you can help rewire your brain through movement. Here’s how exercise influences critical brain chemistry and why it’s one of the most potent tools we have for emotional health.
Dopamine plays a major role in motivation, pleasure, and reward. In depression, dopamine pathways are often blunted.
Exercise, especially high, intensity or resistance training boosts dopamine release and receptor sensitivity.
A study in Frontiers in Psychology found that just 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise raised dopamine and improved mood in people with depression and healthy controls alike.
Over time, this improves your baseline drive, helping you take action when depression would otherwise freeze you.
Serotonin regulates mood, sleep, appetite, and social behavior and is commonly tar…
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.