By pH health care professionals

Many people have experienced depression. Around 6.7 percent of U.S. adults have had a major depressive episode within the last year, the National Institute of Mental Health reports. This disorder can be debilitating, and it goes beyond simply feeling sad and lethargic. Symptoms may include an inability to focus, concentrate or make decisions. But how can you get relief from depression symptoms?

A recent study published in the journal Translational Psychiatry shows MAP training may be beneficial. MAP stands for mental and physical, and it involves a combination of meditation and aerobic exercise.

The study included 52 participants who completed an eight-week program, with two sessions per week. Each session involved 30 minutes of focused-attention meditation and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise.

What researchers found among participants with major depressive disorder was a significant drop in depressive symptoms and ruminative thoughts. Ruminating is a fancy word for overthinking – when those negative thoughts get stuck in playback mode. This, in turn, can make you more anxious and depressed.

If you have depression, you may want to try MAP for yourself. Try incorporating both meditation and cardio into your daily life. Talk to a qualified health care professional about your depression and find out if there are other treatment options that you should consider.

Enjoy Your Healthy Life!

The pH professional health care team includes recognized experts from a variety of health care and related disciplines, including physicians, attorneys, nutritionists, nurses and certified fitness instructors. To learn more about the pH Health Care Team, click here.