GREENSBORO, N.C. — With the national concern of mental health struggles and effective ways to help people who are struggling, a recent study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine sheds light on exercise as possibly more effective in combating depression and anxiety than medication.
The study involved more than 128,000 people who exercised for 12 weeks, and their levels of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress were measured. Types of exercise included: yoga, pilates, walking, and resistance training. The higher-intensity workouts showed the greatest improvement in mental health.
Physical activity should be considered in conjunction with counseling and medicine as you and your physician decide. The study shows that exercise can improve your mental health, which is cost-effective and an option for people who don’t want to take medicine. Again, you should talk about this with your physician.
If you’re pushed for time and want to increase your physical activity, here are a few suggestions. When you’re running errands, you can park your car further away, but in a safe place, from the store so you can add extra steps. Or, you can take the stairs instead the elevator. When holding bags with a handle, you can do curls while waiting for the elevator or walking to the car. When watching TV, you can stretch or do push-ups or sit-ups. Get creative. Work out for short periods, like 10 or 15 minutes.
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