Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression is an important public health issue.
The estimated average prevalence of postpartum depression was 13%
The peak incidence of depression is within the first 4 to 6 weeks after birth, with about half of
cases developing in the first 3 months
The duration of postpartum depression can be short, although evidence suggests that some
women continue to experience depression for up to a year or longer
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of postpartum depression may include a reduced quality of life, anxiety attacks,
tearfulness, loss of interest in life, insecurity, inappropriate obsessional thoughts, irritability,
fatigue, guilt, fear of harming the baby, and a reluctance to breast feed
Exercise Interventions in Depressed Populations
Studies concluded that exercise may be efficacious in reducing symptoms of depression
Proposed Mechanisms
There are various hypothesised mechanisms by which exercise is thought to influence
mental health outcomes and several biologic, psychosocial, and psychological theories have
been suggested. Proposed mechanisms for how exercise improves mood are speculative at
present, because no study has directly investigated the causal pathway in depressed
patients successfully treated with exercise.
One possible mechanism is biochemical change, such as increased levels of endorphins.
The endorphin hypothesis proposes that the effects of acute exercise on psychological well-
being, in particular, "euphoria," is caused by the release and subsequent binding of
endogenous opioids (β-endorphins) to receptor sites in the brain, leading to improved mental
health outcomes. Despite very limited support, the endorphin hypothesis remains one of the
most popular explanations of the psychological benefits of exercise.
Psychological hypotheses, such as increased sense of mastery and self-esteem, have been
proposed, and there is a well-established link between depression and negative self-
evaluations.
The positive relationship between exercise and depression could be explained in terms of the
physical signs associated with exercise (e.g., weight loss and muscle tone), and these
physical signs could be viewed as positive cues towards a sense of achievement in one's
physical self. In the context of postpartum women, this is an important consideration, given
that new mothers may have negative feelings about themselves and their bodies after giving
birth, and may be keen to exercise to achieve weight loss.
Other researchers have suggested that exercise can serve as distraction or "time-out" from
daily hassles and stressful stimuli, and is responsible for the improvements in mental health
associated with exercise. In this respect, women with postpartum depression may find
exercise a useful strategy to help them focus on events other than their particular life
circumstances.
Reference
The Role of Exercise in Treating Postpartum Depression: A Review of the Literature. Amanda
J. Daley, PhD, C. Psychol; Christine MacArthur, PhD; Heather Winter, MD, MROG, FFPH. J
Midwifery Womens Health. 2007;52(1):56-62. ©2007 Elsevier Science, Inc.
Postpartum depression is an important public health issue.
The estimated average prevalence of postpartum depression was 13%
The peak incidence of depression is within the first 4 to 6 weeks after birth, with about half of
cases developing in the first 3 months
The duration of postpartum depression can be short, although evidence suggests that some
women continue to experience depression for up to a year or longer
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of postpartum depression may include a reduced quality of life, anxiety attacks,
tearfulness, loss of interest in life, insecurity, inappropriate obsessional thoughts, irritability,
fatigue, guilt, fear of harming the baby, and a reluctance to breast feed
Exercise Interventions in Depressed Populations
Studies concluded that exercise may be efficacious in reducing symptoms of depression
Proposed Mechanisms
There are various hypothesised mechanisms by which exercise is thought to influence
mental health outcomes and several biologic, psychosocial, and psychological theories have
been suggested. Proposed mechanisms for how exercise improves mood are speculative at
present, because no study has directly investigated the causal pathway in depressed
patients successfully treated with exercise.
One possible mechanism is biochemical change, such as increased levels of endorphins.
The endorphin hypothesis proposes that the effects of acute exercise on psychological well-
being, in particular, "euphoria," is caused by the release and subsequent binding of
endogenous opioids (β-endorphins) to receptor sites in the brain, leading to improved mental
health outcomes. Despite very limited support, the endorphin hypothesis remains one of the
most popular explanations of the psychological benefits of exercise.
Psychological hypotheses, such as increased sense of mastery and self-esteem, have been
proposed, and there is a well-established link between depression and negative self-
evaluations.
The positive relationship between exercise and depression could be explained in terms of the
physical signs associated with exercise (e.g., weight loss and muscle tone), and these
physical signs could be viewed as positive cues towards a sense of achievement in one's
physical self. In the context of postpartum women, this is an important consideration, given
that new mothers may have negative feelings about themselves and their bodies after giving
birth, and may be keen to exercise to achieve weight loss.
Other researchers have suggested that exercise can serve as distraction or "time-out" from
daily hassles and stressful stimuli, and is responsible for the improvements in mental health
associated with exercise. In this respect, women with postpartum depression may find
exercise a useful strategy to help them focus on events other than their particular life
circumstances.
Reference
The Role of Exercise in Treating Postpartum Depression: A Review of the Literature. Amanda
J. Daley, PhD, C. Psychol; Christine MacArthur, PhD; Heather Winter, MD, MROG, FFPH. J
Midwifery Womens Health. 2007;52(1):56-62. ©2007 Elsevier Science, Inc.
Fat Burn
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- Exercise and Postpartum Depression