THIS FALL AND WINTER, LIFT YOUR SPIRITS WITH EXERCISE

Baby, it’s dark outside! As Daylight Savings Time comes to an end, we will be in for a long, dark winter. It will be pitch black when we wake up in the morning and just as dark when we get home from work.

Is it any wonder that the shrinking daylight can give us winter blues?

Shorter periods of light during our waking hours can trigger a seasonal depression commonly known as “SAD,” statistics indicating that between 4 and 6 percent of people in the United States suffer from SAD each year. Another 10 to 20 percent may experience a milder form of a winter-onset depressive disorder. It may seem like a low percentage, but those numbers translate into millions of people.

Fortunately, the cure for the seasonal blues is easy: EXERCISE! Research published in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) shows that the psychological and physical benefits of exercise can reduce anxiety and improve mood.

There are several ways in which being active and fit will make us feel better. Exercise releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals such as endorphins, reduces immune system chemicals that can worsen depression, and raises body temperature, which can have calming effects. There are a lot of factors at work here, and they are all good!

While any regular and consistent physical activity is beneficial, fitness boot camps are especially effective because they encompass a wide variety of exercises including, cardiovascular endurance, strength training, movements associated with pilates and yoga, as well as functional training that utilizes multiple muscle groups at once. Incorporating all these types of exercise in a 55 minute workout has a profound effect and will invigorate your body and mind.

Plus, you are part of a group where everyone encourages each other. This social aspect is helpful for people who are prone to depression. The last thing you want to do is exercise alone.

All these perks are the reason why boot camps are rated by the ACSM among the top 20 exercise trends for 2011 – as they have been in 2010.

Of course, no matter how good and beneficial an exercise program is, if you suffer from anxiety or depression, working out may be the last thing you want to do – at least until spring!

When it’s dark outside, you might not feel like going out, but do try to get motivated! Once you do, you will see what a big and positive difference exercise makes to your mood, not to mention health in general.