It's no secret that 2020 and 2021 were challenging years for many of us, myself included. While I don’t claim this makes my experience unique, these years profoundly shaped my journey. At the time, I was in graduate school while also working as the nursing coordinator for a cardiac unit that was quickly converted into a COVID care unit. I became the first nurse at my facility to contract COVID, and though my symptoms were mild, the stigma that followed—from friends, colleagues, and strangers—was unexpected and unsettling. Around the same time, I endured a personal betrayal from someone I had considered a spiritual mentor. This not only caused a crisis of faith but also dismantled much of the support system I had relied on. Needless to say, my mental health took a significant hit during this period.
Mental Health
The term “mental health” is thrown around often, but how often do we pause to truly consider what it means? According to the Oxford Dictionary, mental health refers to “a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.” This definition suggests a separation between the mind and body, implying that mental health is distinct from physical health. While public attitudes toward the importance of mental health have evolved, it’s still often seen as less urgent than physical health.
This perception may stem from the rise of medical specialization in the 19th century, where anatomy and physiology began to be taught within isolated systems—cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, immune, renal, and so on. However, the reality is that our biological systems are intricately connected. Dysfunction in one system inevitably impacts others, either contributing to illness or forcing other systems to compensate. By this logic, treating the body can influence the mind and vice versa. In fact, emerging research has shown that physical exercise can be a powerful tool in treating depression, one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders.
Understanding Depression
Depression is a complex condition with psychological and physical dimensions. It can range from mild to severe, and its root causes are not fully understood. Historically, depression was attributed to a chemical imbalance, specifically a deficiency of serotonin in the brain. However, recent research has cast doubt on this theory, and the search for definitive answers continues (Wild, 2022).
Common symptoms of depression include prolonged sadness, a reduced ability to feel pleasure, feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, disrupted sleep patterns, changes in appetite, and even suicidal ideation (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). Research also suggests that gender may influence how symptoms manifest. Women often exhibit internalized symptoms such as sadness and fatigue, while men are more likely to display externalized symptoms like irritability, anger, impulsivity, and substance abuse (Oliffe et al., 2019).
Exercise as a Treatment
Traditionally, the most effective treatments for depression have been pharmacological options (e.g., SSRIs) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). However, recent studies suggest that exercise may be just as effective—if not more so—at treating mild to moderate depression (Singh et al., 2023). There is even evidence that exercise can aid in managing major depression (Zhou & Fabiano, 2024).
Exercise has long been recognized as a potential tool for combating depression, but only recently have we gained clarity on its effectiveness and the specifics of how it should be implemented. Research shows that 45-60 minutes of exercise, performed 3-5 times a week, can significantly reduce symptoms of depression, especially when supervised by a professional (Zhou & Fabiano, 2024). Strength training and yoga, in particular, have emerged as the most effective and well-tolerated forms of exercise for this purpose (Noetel et al., 2024). These findings bring me back to my personal story.
How SBL Helped Me
At the height of the pandemic, I found myself struggling to juggle the mounting stresses from work, school, home life, political unrest, and personal betrayal. I became irritable, impulsive, and prone to making rash decisions based on unchecked assumptions. My sleep patterns and appetite were erratic—sometimes I couldn’t sleep no matter how tired I was, other times I felt drained despite getting plenty of rest. In hindsight, it’s clear I was dealing with depression, and I wasn’t coping well.
One bright spot during this period was the bi-weekly accelerated instructor program (AIP) conditioning sessions led by Ash from SBL. These sessions were a blend of yoga, tai chi, and CrossFit, with a healthy dose of martial arts-inspired movements like elbow strikes and kicks. The physical challenge left me too exhausted and focused to dwell on anything else. By the end of each session, I felt physically drained but mentally refreshed.
When SBL introduced Zoom classes led by instructors like Alvin, Ash, Andrea, and Atilla four to five times a week, I immediately signed up. These sessions aligned perfectly with the research-backed “dosage” for exercise as a treatment for depression: 45-60 minutes of strength training or yoga under professional guidance. As my training frequency increased, my mood improved, my sleep patterns stabilized, and my eating habits normalized. Today, at 46, I’m in better physical shape than I was as a high school wrestler—a transformation I credit largely to SBL and the community it fosters.
Of course, my story is anecdotal, but as the saying goes, “The plural of anecdote is data.” Perhaps it’s time to see if SBL can work for you too?
References
National Institute of Mental Health. (2023, March). Depression.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression
Noetel, M., Sanders, T., Gallardo-Gómez, D., Taylor, P., Del Pozo Cruz, B., Van den Hoek, D., Smith, J. J.,
Mahoney, J., Spathis, J., Moresi, M., Pagano, R., Pagano, L., Vasconcellos, R., Arnott, H.,
Varley, B., Parker, P., Biddle, S., & Lonsdale, C. (2024). Effect of exercise for depression:
Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMJ, e075847.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-075847
Oliffe, J. L., Rossnagel, E., Seidler, Z. E., Kealy, D., Ogrodniczuk, J. S., & Rice, S. M. (2019). Men’s
depression and suicide. Current Psychiatry Reports, 21(10). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-
1088-y
Singh, B., Olds, T., Curtis, R., Dumuid, D., Virgara, R., Watson, A., Szeto, K., O'Connor, E., Ferguson, T.,
Eglitis, E., Miatke, A., Simpson, C. E., & Maher, C. (2023). Effectiveness of physical activity
interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: An overview of systematic reviews.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(18), 1203-1209. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-
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Wild, S. (2022). No link between depression and serotonin, finds major analysis. New Scientist,
255(3397), 20. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0262-4079(22)01338-0
Zhou, C., & Fabiano, N. (2024). Exercise as a treatment for depression. Canadian Medical Association
Journal, 196(17), E596-E96. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.231288
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