Running News Daily

Tips on battling depression from a legendary ultra runner who exercises to avoid the next attack

After suffering her first serious case of depression at 22, Nikki Kimball found that distance running was not just something she was good at – she needed it to survive.

Now she teaches others how to combat depression though exercise. Extreme physical effort triggers massive production of dopamine, a natural painkiller that the body needs to pull through the pain. After the pain is gone, the cells are still flush with dopamine.

This causes the euphoric “runners’ high”, which is also one of the most effective cures for depression. Kimball needs these regular injections of extreme physical and mental shock to vaccinate herself against the next episode of depression.

As she has learned over the years, these may suddenly arrive unannounced and with overwhelming force, enough to confine her to a fetal position in bed for 18 hours a day.