Abstract des Autors

One of every four Americans suffers from depression at any given time, according to the Presidents Commission on Mental Health, and of the 29,000 people who commit suicide every year, 80 are believed to be depressed. Defined as a sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason, depression is characterized by withdrawal, inactivity, dullness, and feelings of helplessness and loss of control. Medicine has produced several approaches to treatment, including antidepressant drugs, shock therapy, and sleep deprivation. But as more people get interested in exercise for its own sake, more people are discovering that exercise has some interesting side effects. Individuals who engage in regular exercise of varying intensity report significant reductions in anxiety and depression, improved sleep and appetite, better concentration, even better academic performance. Verf.-Referat