Exercise for the treatment of depression, anxiety and insomnia

Dr Giresh Kanji talks about the importance of exercise in the management of depression and insomnia in general practice. Giresh is a musculoskeletal pain expert in Auckland. He’s founder of the New Zealand Pain Foundation and has many years of experience researching and managing pain. His PhD explored the causation of headache disorders, the migraine gene and the role of the sympathetic nervous system in chronic pain.

Case Study

A  42 year old advertising account manager and mother of 1 comes to see you. She is distressed as is going through an employment dispute at work. She works 14 hours a day, 6-7 days a week. She isn’t sleeping well. She drinks a bottle of red wine a night and is experiencing depressed mood and is anxious.

You discuss the options; one of which is incorporate some daily exercise, ideally at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day.

She ask if it will work? Is exercise enough?