Dealing with loss can be challenging. It can drain you physically and mentally. While regular exercise might seem like the last place to turn (especially when you’re already zapped of energy)…this article in the U.S. News & World Report suggests that nothing could be further from the truth. Why? Exercise can provide a myriad of immediate and long-term benefits for grief.
According to a study by Robert Neimeyer — Professor of Psychology at University of Memphis and Editor of the journal Death Studies — yoga and running seem to top the chart in terms of benefit. They present some amazing long-term benefits for individuals dealing with depression (and grief) and (in many cases) can be more effective even than group therapy. Read more…
*Note: Neimeyer’s study is focused on depression. While depression and grief both entail “feeling sad” and are often intertwined, grief and depression are not the same thing. You can grieve without being depressed and without your grief leading to depression. This point aside, the benefits of exercise (as discussed here) pertain to both depression and grief. To learn more about grief vs depression and the debate about the APA’s most recent diagnostic manual, click here.
