Group Exercise For the Win: How It Combats Depression

A few times a week, I wake up before sunrise and drag myself to an outdoor boot camp. The basketball court on which we exercise is cold (I know this because I have to lay on my yoga mat to do ab crunches). The frequent rain makes my socks squishy and causes my hair to stick to my face.

I’m not telling you this to look like a hero; I’m sharing because I know just how much group exercise can help reduce depression.

For that one hour, I can’t catch my breath from non-stop activity. I think about nothing except working on my fitness. Someone is telling me what to do – how many burpees to complete, how far to run, how high to lift my weights. I don’t have to think, just focus. I have a few friendly conversations with the other women there, and then I’m on my way.

The boot camp days are usually my best mental health days. When I get in my car afterward, I feel energized. I remind myself that if I do nothing else for the next 23 hours, at least I accomplished one thing, and I always feel good about that.

Exercise is motivating. Once you’ve completed a workout, you’re more likely to feel inspired to conquer other challenges in your day. I also work out alone, of course, and toggle between solo jogs and group workouts – including boot camp and runs with a partner.

But there’s a big difference between going it alone and working out with others. In a group, I’m inclined to go farther and push harder. The sense of camaraderie that exists in group exercises almost always negates the feelings of isolation common with depression.

A small study conducted in 2015 examined how group exercise (in this case, playing on a sports team) affected people hospitalized with depression. After 60 days, participants who played a team sport demonstrated an increased level of self-confidence and a decreased level of irritability. Psychiatrists treating these patients reported marked improvements in their mood.

“[The participants] feel they are more efficient and more effective than before,” the researchers said.

And while that alone should be plenty of reason to give group exercise a try, here are three more compelling reasons:

Human Interaction
Group exercise forces you to engage with other people – whether you like it or not. Your team is only going to succeed if you participate with everyone else. Boot camp is only going to work if you can pass the ball to your partner (and share a look of horror when your instructor demands another round of sprints). Even a yoga class requires you to listen to instructions. Perhaps you’ll even say hello to that person setting up their mat beside yours.

When you’re depressed, it’s understandable if you don’t want to socialize. But give it a shot. When others are counting on you, it gives you a sense of purpose. And a friendly hello or high-five can be more uplifting than you realize.

It’s Exercise
By now you’ve probably heard exercise is responsible for giving us a natural high by releasing endorphins into our body and stimulating neurotransmitters that improve our mood. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise may also lower the levels of certain chemicals in our immune systems that can exacerbate depression.

To reap these benefits, doctors typically recommend participating in exercise that gets your heart pumping several times a week. And if you haven’t exercised in a while, that’s OK. Start small. Take a walk with a few coworkers at lunch, or sign up for a beginner’s class at the gym. You may be surprised how quickly you improve – which also has the nice side effect of boosting your self-esteem.

Exercise Promotes Focus
Depression muddies our thoughts and can distort logic. But for that 30 or 60 minutes a day (or 90 if you’re a real champ), give yourself the gift of focused thinking. Exercise allows you to take a break from the cycle of rumination.

It’s difficult to concern yourself with much else when you’re trying to perfect a warrior pose, count jumping jacks or score a goal. During that block of time, your mind is completely focused on getting the most out of your experience. Removing yourself from negative thinking, even for a short time, will give you a sense of relief. It may even help you think more clearly throughout the rest of the day.

Exercise on its own isn’t a cure-all for depression, but it has been shown to successfully complement other treatments. And while physical activity is often one of the first things we sacrifice when we’re depressed, it’s important not to lose sight of how beneficial it can be. Whether you rejoin an old running group or take up soccer for the first time, there’s a good chance you’ll reap some rewards.