Introduction of Exercise for Depression Prevention in Company Workers(Preventive Activities for Mental Health of Workers : From the Perspective of Psychosomatic Medicine)

Abstract

Since 2011, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare included mental disorders as one of five diseases of which measures should be intensively taken. One of the most important mental disorders is depression. Medication and rest are two most important treatments in depression. Recently, exercise is considered as an alternative efficient treatment for depression. It could be also effective for maintaining a remission state and even prevents depression. Almost all depressive patients have sleep disorders. Past studies indicate poor sleep quality could be a large risk factor of depression. It has been know that exercise improves sleep quality. Moreover, exercise also improves fitness levels which have been weaken during depressive patients' rest period. Considering all these together, exercise improves mood, sleep and physical fitness, therefore improves depressive patients both mentally and physically. However, continuing an exercise habit is difficult. Thus, the newly developed sheet type sleep monitor, and the actogram are useful to feedback the amount of physical activity and improved sleep quality that leads to continuing the exercise.