Fitness
Lift in gym to lift your mood: Study shows getting ripped reduces depression risk
Dec 20, 2024 06:22 PM IST
Building muscle may as well be building a mental fortitude as a study reveals that muscle mass strength lowers depression risk.
Hit the gym, and lift to uplift your mood. Getting shredded not only makes you physically stronger but also mentally stronger as well. It significantly reduces the risk of depression. A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders revealed that stronger grip strength and higher muscle mass help to reduce the risk of depression. It indicates how physical strength is related to mental resilience.
ALSO READ: Want to lose fat and build muscle? Woman who lost 4 kg in a month shares best ‘fat loss’ exercise routine
Connection between getting muscular and lowered depression
There’s an inverse correlation between muscle strength and depression. Muscle mass and grip strength can essentially predict depression risk as per the study. Led by Linjie Qiu of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, the researchers examined over 4,800 adults, assessing their muscle mass and depressive symptoms.
The findings showed how muscle mass and grip strength could predict the risk of depression. The depression risk dropped with higher muscular strength. Those participants who had higher muscle mass and grip strength were significantly less likely to experience depression. For every 5 kg increase in grip strength, the likelihood of depression dropped by 5.7% Similarly, a 1 kg increase in muscle mass reduced the risk by 5.5%.
ALSO READ: 10 exercises to build muscle without weights or any gym equipment
Who benefits the most
So, working out and getting muscle is mentally healthy as it keeps the mood brightened, lowering depression risk. This effect of building muscles and seeing improvements in mood is even more pronounced for people aged 40 to 59 as ageing after 30 sees a natural decline in muscle mass. Additionally, the connection between higher muscle mass and lowered depression was notably stronger among men and individuals with a healthy body mass index.
It’s a misconception to assume building muscle is solely for physical attraction or flexing in the mirror. This study shed light on one of the many benefits of gaining muscle. It safeguards mental wellbeing by reducing depression risk.
ALSO READ: Do you love processed foods? Shocking study reveals what it does to our muscles
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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Physical activity saves lives, but now it turns out there’s a “precise dosage” at which it becomes especially effective in preventing heart disease.
Exercising is key to longevity; it’s been associated with everything from improved cardiovascular health to increased strength to a longer life. But there’s one exercise, in particular, that a doctor says women over 50 should add to their routine.
Meet the expert: Steven Bowers, D.O., board-certified family physician and author of Secrets of the World’s Healthiest People
Daily strength workouts may help boost all aspects of life, Steven Bowers, D.O., board-certified family physician and author of Secrets of the World’s Healthiest People, previously told Prevention. Physical fitness makes functional tasks like carrying grocery bags from the car, opening jars, and lifting heavy items easier.
There are plenty of moves to try, but Dr. Bowers says the one that should get top billing in your routine is the plank.
While planks challenge your whole body, they’re particularly great for strengthening your core. “Core muscle fibers tend to shrink and become less supple as we age, which can put more strain on your back,” he previously said. Having a strong core is important for balance and stability, and it can help you go about your day with more ease.
Wondering how long to hold a plank, and the proper form? First, place your forearms on the floor. Your elbows should be right below your shoulders, and your arms should be parallel—not turning in or out. Your feet should also be shoulder-width apart. Press your hands and toes into a mat on the ground, lifting your body, squeezing your glutes and quads for support. Your body should create one straight line from head to toe. Don’t lock your knees or arch your back, and keep your neck straight by looking slightly in front of you.
Hold this position for 20 seconds. “As you get more comfortable and your core gets stronger, hold the plank for as long as possible without sacrificing form or breath,” Dr. Bowers noted. It’s that simple! Whether you’re a pro or want to test your plank skills, adding the simple move to your routine may be what your core has been waiting for.
Shin splints are one of those nagging aches and pains most runners encounter at some point in their training—but that doesn’t mean you should just grin and bear it.
“We see it all the time in the clinic,” osteopath and clinical lead at The Livewell Clinic, Danny Sayandan tells Fit&Well.
Common themes, he says, are runners in worn-out shoes, heel striking instead of landing midfoot, or overstriding.
“It’s often linked to the least stretched muscle in the body—your calves—and most neglected muscle—the tibialis anterior—found on the front of the shin,” says Sayandan.
When they’re tight or undertrained, the impact of every footstrike gets pushed straight into the shins, triggering a dull ache down the front or inside of your shins.
The solution? Add these five exercises from Sayandan to your weekly workouts to stretch and strengthen these often overlooked muscles.
5 exercises to try if you get shin pain when running
1. Toe raise
Toe Raises – Ask Doctor Jo – YouTube
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Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15 each side
Why: Lifting your toes strengthens the front of your shin.
How:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lift your toes.
- Hold for two seconds.
- Lower your toes to the start.
2. Calf raise
Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15
Why: Build strength and endurance in the lower legs.
How:
- Stand with your feet together.
- Lift your heels to rise onto your toes and the balls of your feet.
- Pause, then lower slowly.
You can also perform these with your heels off a step (as in the video above), lowering your heels below the step to add a stretch to your calves.
As you get stronger, progress to single-leg calf raises, then begin to add weight with a dumbbell or kettlebell held in one hand.
3. Soleus wall hold
Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15 / Time: 30sec
Why: This bent-knee heel raise targets the deep-lying soleus muscle in your calves.
How:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a bannister or other sturdy anchor point for support (an alternative is to rest your back on a wall, as in the video above).
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower into a squat, with your knees bent at 90˚.
- Hold this position and either perform 12-15 calf raises (see above), or rise up onto the balls of your feet and hold for 30 seconds.
4. Tibialis stretch
Anterior Tibialis Stretch Kneeling – Ask Doctor Jo – YouTube
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Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10
Why: This is a gentle stretch for the muscles in the front of the shin.
How:
- Kneel with your feet together, sitting on your heels with your hands or forearms on the floor to help control the load through your ankles.
- Push through your hands or forearms and carefully lift your knees to increase the stretch in the front of your shins.
- Hold for a few seconds, then lower.
Rather than an exercise, try to practice this continuously—and certainly as you move from exercise to exercise in this workout. Concentrate on landing softly through your midfoot to retrain your gait and reduce impact through your heel, ankle, calves and shins.
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