Researchers Create Exercise Guidelines to Beat Depression

You already know (and love!) that endorphin-fueled happy feeling you get after a really great workout. Past research has even shown that exercise can be successful in treating major depressive disorder. And now a new report published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, which is geared toward clinicians, outlines the necessary exercise “dose” for patients to reap the antidepressant effects.

Researchers at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center came up with clinical guidelines based on what’s worked in past studies, says senior study author Madhukar Trivedi, MD, of the department of psychiatry. Their recommendations: Patients should do aerobic exercise or resistance training (though there’s more research evidence to support the former) for 45 to 60 minutes three to five times per week. Aerobic exercise—running, biking, walking—should be at about 50 to 85 percent of max heart rate. For resistance—something like weight-lifting—the workouts should target both upper- and lower-body muscles, and intensity should be three sets of eight repetitions at 80 percent max. The regimen should last for at least 10 to 12 weeks. “It boils down to about 150 minutes per week of exercise at moderate intensity,” says Trivedi.

While these recommendations are based on what was shown to work in past studies that have looked at the link between exercise and depressive symptoms, that doesn’t necessarily mean other regimens won’t work. These are just helpful guidelines if you want to reap the full mood-boosting benefits of exercise.

And of course, if you’re experiencing depressive symptoms and would like to try exercise as treatment, make sure you’re doing so under the guidance of a clinician, says Trivedi.

photo: Jupiterimages/Comstock/Thinkstock 

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The Best Ways to Beat Brain Fry

The next time you’re struggling to think coherently, skip your usual caffeine fix and take a quick walk instead: Being in a green space may help combat brain fatigue, according to new findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

For the study, researchers hooked 12 people up to portable electroencephalography (EEG) devices to record their brainwave patterns, which can be used to help gauge levels of excitement, frustration, engagement, arousal, meditation, and more. The participants then walked through Edinburgh, Scotland, on a specific route that took them through both busy city streets and a park. During the walk, researchers tracked participants’ brainwave activity, as well as their GPS location.

“Moving from an urban shopping street to green space showed reductions in arousal and frustration, indicating a reduction in stress levels,” says Richard Coyne, PhD, one of the study authors and a professor of architectural computing at The University of Edinburgh. As such, Coyne says that taking a walk in the park appears to reduce cognitive overload and may help you overcome that brain dead feeling.

Why might green space have this kind of restorative effect? One theory, says Coyne: Nature provides the perfect balance of being interesting enough to hold your attention—but not so overstimulating that it prevents you from engaging in reflective and productive thought.

No park near your office? The next time you feel like you’re suffering from a bad case of brain burnout, try out these tactics to help you refresh mentally:

Think happy thoughts
When you’re stressed, your brain has trouble sending information from the amygdala (basically your brain’s gatekeeper) to the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher-level thinking, says Judy Willis, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Neurology. But focusing on something positive—like your upcoming vacation or a date that you’re looking forward to—can help lower stress levels and increase the flow of information to your prefrontal cortex, she says. Translation: You’ll actually be able to start thinking clearly again.

Hit YouTube
Research shows that humor has a similarly brain-calming effect, says Willis, so watching “Dave After Dentist” or the latest Jimmy Kimmel stunt can help. The videos won’t just get you laughing—brain imaging research indicates that they may also increase motivation and perseverance and decrease stress so you can regain control of your mental facilities. That’s two minutes well spent.

Get a hobby
Anything from learning how to crochet to running marathons works, so long as it satisfies two requirements: It has to be something you enjoy doing, and you have to be able to make clear, measurable progress while doing it. The kind of ongoing progress sends your brain a steady stream of the pleasure-inducing chemical dopamine, which will help make your mind more resistant to stress in general, says Willis. Plus, when you’re feeling brain dead, you can think about your latest accomplishment for a restorative effect, says Willis.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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Beat Your Bad Mood in 30 Seconds or Less

Take the trash out: According to new research in Psychological Science, writing down your negative thoughts and tossing them in the garbage can erase your bad mood.

Simple pick-me-up or suspect science? The finding seems silly, admits lead researcher Richard Petty, Ph.D., a professor at The Ohio State University. “But sometimes it’s the silly things that work.”

In one of Petty’s experiments, 83 people were asked to write down thoughts on their body image, then either throw them away or keep them. The results: People who kept their thoughts were more likely to side in favor of their notes—so if they wrote negative notes, they rated themselves more negatively—but those who trashed their thoughts saw no change in how they rated their bodies.

What gives? Your body can control your mind, just as your mind controls your body, says Petty. For example, previous research has demonstrated that you can sit up straight to feel more confident and smile to feel happier.

So try it: Next time something is driving you crazy, just write it down and toss it out. The action “gives a greater finality to your thoughts,” Petty says. That means you’ll trick your brain into marking bad thoughts as gone, instead of suppressing them—only to let your brain find them and start feeling crummy all over again.

photo: Photodisc/Thinkstock

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5 Ways to Beat Job Burnout

Feeling burned out? You’re not alone. According to a new survey published by ComPsych, the world’s largest provider of employee assistance programs, burnout is up among Americans, with 63 percent of the 1,800 surveyed participants citing work as the root cause of their stress.

This becomes a serious problem because the more a person experiences daily stress, the higher their risk of developing numerous health problems, including heart disease, depression, and obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“Stress also affects productivity,” says Gloria S. Rothenberg, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who is not affiliated with the study. “Fatigue and mental exhaustion lead to poor concentration and a greater rate of errors,” she says. In fact, more than one-third of the surveyed workers in ComPsych’s study lost an hour or more per day in productivity at work due to stress. Essentially, the more stressed you are about work, the less productive you become. Cue the vicious cycle.

But it doesn’t have to be like this. Nip stress in the bud with these five tips before it becomes a serious problem.

Keep mom on speed dial
It turns out the sound of mom’s voice can have a calming affect on you, even as an adult. A study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B showed that participants who talked to their mothers on the phone after completing stressful tasks had decreased cortisol (the stress hormone) in their saliva, and increased oxytocin levels (the bonding hormone).

Gossip with your co-workers
If your co-workers’ actions get your blood boiling, it’s best to share your experiences with someone else, which, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, will help lower your heart rate and stress levels. Take advantage of the less sinister side of gossip by following these guidelines.

Nibble on chocolate
Eating chocolate can help you relax, according to a study published in the Journal of Proteome Research. Study participants who ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate every day for two weeks experienced lower stress hormone levels, causing the metabolic effects of stress to be partially mitigated. Try keeping a bowl of dark chocolate in your desk drawer for when you need a real pick-me-up, making sure you limit yourself to a small square per day. If you’re looking for new ways to incorporate this sweet stress buster into your diet, treat yourself—every once in awhile—to one of these decadent and delicious chocolate recipes.

Give your email nights and weekends off
A study from the University of California, Irvine, found that taking a break from work email could lower stress and improve focus. Try turning your work phone off over the weekend so you’re not tempted to check in, or deactivate your work email on your personal phone. If someone really needs to get in touch with you, tell them they can call your personal cell for emergencies only. Get over your fear of missing out—a.k.a. FOMO—by following these steps.

Take a laugh break
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed take a moment to watch a funny clip on YouTube—we suggest this hilarious scene from the movie Bridesmaids. According to the Mayo Clinic, a good laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A relaxed feeling, which recharges your battery so you can get some serious work done. Get your giggle on and take advantage of these other laugh benefits.

photos: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

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3 Easy Tricks to Beat Motion Sickness

Motion sickness can throw a real wrench into your travel plans. And once it strikes, it feels like nothing can provide you the quick relief you need from feeling nauseous, dizzy, and downright terrible. Soon, that may no longer be the case.

NASA is working with California-based startup Epiomed Therapeutics to develop a new medication to treat motion sickness.

The nasal spray, called intranasal scopolamine (INSCOP for short), has been shown to be faster acting and more effective than when administered as a pill, according to a press release from NASA. Scopolamine, the nausea-fighting drug used in the nasal spray, is currently typically administered as a patch.

But why do astronauts—and Earth dwellers—get unsettling motion sickness in the first place?

“Motion is sensed by the brain through four means: the inner ear, the eyes, and skin and joint sensory receptors throughout the body,” says Keri Peterson, M.D. internal medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and Women’s Health advisor. “When the signals from each of these does not match—for example if you are in the cabin of the boat and your inner ear senses motion but your eyes do not see motion, then the brain perceives a discrepancy in signals and you can get motion sickness.”

With the floating and bouncing around that astronauts do in space, it makes sense that these confusing signals can trigger stomach-churning and light-headed responses. But you don’t have to be space-bound to be hit with head-spinning motion sickness symptoms.

Fortunately, while INSCOP isn’t available to the public (yet), there are other ways to keep your wits about you (and your food down) the next time choppy water, air turbulence, or an out-of-control cab driver gives you a case of the spins. Try these three tips:

Seat yourself wisely
“Always ride where your eyes will see the same motion that your ears and body feel,” says Peterson. So in a car, ride in the front seat; on a boat, position yourself on the deck and keep your eyes on the horizon; on an airplane, try to score a window seat over the wing of the plane, she suggests.

Grab a fan
Direct a stream of fresh air at your face, if you can. Though there’s no documented medical reason behind this strategy, it’s possible that makes you feel better because it lowers your body temperature, says Peterson. Hey, worth a try.

Get medical
Peterson also recommends Dramamine or scopolamine patches to nix the nausea, dizziness, and vomiting that result from motion sickness.

photo: Pixland/Thinkstock

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