Is one of the reasons that you exercise to keep yourself in a better mood, with an improved mental outlook?

If so, then you are like a lot of women I know who are using simple tools like regular activity and good nutrition to not only take responsibility for their physical health, but to improve their mental health as well.  I know that my walks and workouts have that effect on me.

And It seems like common sense, doesn’t it? Stay more active and you positively impact your moods and your attitude.

But does it matter when you do your activity, how much you do each week…in other words, what are the details?

The Study

It’s becoming an increasing public health concern: the apparently high prevalence of depression in women.

An interesting study on the effects of physical activity on depression was undergone recently, involving no less that 1500 women.  And yes, a direct correlation was found between physical activity and depressive symptoms.

What you might find surprising, however, is that the findings uncovered rather specific details about when and how much, how intense, and under what conditions the activity took place.

[Reference: Int J of Beh Nutr Phys Act 2008, 5:27 (6 May 2008):  Associations Between Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms In Women., Megan Teychenne, Kylie Ball, Jo Salmon]

The women in this particular study ages spanned from 18 to 65 years, which was conducted via survey.  These women were asked to self-report regarding two specific details:

1)  physical activity behaviors, and

2)  depressive symptoms.

Those women who reported more than 3.5 hours leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) per week had lower odds of depressive symptoms when compared to those who undertook less than this.

At the same time, women who were engaged in moderate leisure-time activity for 1.5 hours also demonstrated anti-depressive benefit, as well as those who underwent 1.75 hours of higher-intensity leisure-time activity per week.  Results indicated that higher intensities of exercise were correlated slightly more significantly with anti-depressive effect, though all amounts and intensities of activity resulted in anti-depression benefit.

In other words, overall, any level of leisure-time physical activity resulted in improved mental outlook, though increases in time spent demonstrated improved benefit.

It’s the next part of the study results that revealed some very interesting information.

That’s where the “yes, but” comes in.

It’s All In the “Leisure Time”

You may observe that the results I’ve reported above have the descriptive words “leisure time physical activity”.

In other words, activity separate from that which might take place at work, on the job…even managing one’s busy life!

That means in the context of this particular study, it is also the conditions under which the activity takes place that makes a bigger difference than even how much!

It has been hypothesized that the associations between physical activity and depressive symptoms may be due to the social support and interaction that comes with physical activity undertaken in a group or social setting….The aim of this study was to examine the associations between various components of physical activity (dose, domain and social context) and odds of depressive symptoms in women using data from a large population-based cohort of women…

…Few studies have examined the association between multiple domains of physical activity and likelihood of depression. However, concurrent with findings in this study, one previous observational study that compared leisure-time physical activity with domestic and work-related physical activity, found only leisure-time physical activity to be inversely associated with depression.

What Does It All Mean?

To recap, when different intensities of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA, for our purposes) were compared, the results showed reduced odds of depressive symptoms amongst women in the highest levels of moderate- and vigorous-intensity leisure-time physical activity, although women engaged in lower intensities of LTPA such as walking also revealed data approaching statistical significance when it came to inverse relationship to depression.

Statistical significance means just that – the study results show enough of an indication to make us sit up and take notice.

Thus, this study suggests that promoting a relatively high duration of leisure-time physical activity could be an important strategy in the prevention of depressive symptoms in women, with additional benefits potentially resulting at higher intensities.

The Qualifier

However, the finding that leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) was the only type associated with positively affecting the odds of depressive symptoms suggests some alternative possible explanations. Quite possibly the sense of enjoyment or a perceived control or choice when undertaking activities in leisure-time makes the difference.  The level of enjoyment or control factor that may be not be present when physical activity is part of in work-related or domestic activity.

In Short:  Make Leisure Time To Do Challenging Physical Activity!

And if you like to work out in a group setting, or with a buddy, that helps, too.  Though the researchers of this particular study agree that there were limitations on their particular study (I think any good researcher needs to always consider this!), their conclusions point out that women need to take the time to enjoy  physical activity, challenge themselves, and see it as a positive use of their leisure time.

Interestingly, another element of the study examined the negative effect that non-supportive family environments had, when it came to physical activity and exercise.  Evidently the family support is a big issue here.  But then you knew that too, didn’t you?

Overall, the value of making time to take care of yourself with structured physical activity, outside of that which may be part of your daily workload, is evidently worth your while, when it comes to a natural anti-depressant.

© Lani Muelrath

P.S. Question for you: what is YOUR experience when it comes to physical activity and your mental outlook?  You can share your thoughts in “comments” below.