If you have the habit of exercising daily, you should not quit, as it may increase the symptoms of depression, according to a new study.
"A large body of clinical evidence shows that regular exercise can reduce and treat depression, but there is limited research on what happens with depressive symptoms when exercise is stopped," said co-author Julie Morgan of the University of California. Adelaide
"Proper physical activity and exercise are important for physical and mental health," Morgan noted.
For the study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, researchers investigated the cessation of exercise in 152 adults.
The adults each performed at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times a week, for a minimum of three months.
"In some cases, the cessation of this amount of exercise induced significant increases in depressive symptoms after only three days," said co-author Bernhard Baune, a professor at the University of Adelaide.
"Other studies showed that people's depressive symptoms increased after the first or second week, which is still quite soon after stopping exercise," Baune added.
The researchers observed that the depressive symptoms that arise from the interruption of exercise occurred in the absence of the typical biological markers commonly involved with depressive symptoms.
Depressive symptoms were significantly higher in participating women than in men.
"For now, it's important for people to understand the potential impact on their mental well-being when they suddenly stop exercising regularly," Baune said.
A previous study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, showed that people of all ages can get mental health benefits even with small amounts of exercise.
