The odds of being depressed after a heart attack appear to be significantly lower for those who had been physically active during the years before their heart attack. Researchers found that those who engaged in regular physical activity in the ten years prior to their first heart attack had nearly a 20% lower risk for depression when compared with those who were inactive during the same time period. First author Dr. Linda Ernstsen notes, “Our results add strength to the evidence of a causal link between physical activity and mental health.”
American Journal of Medicine, October 2015