Moderate exercise is a cure for depression

This is not new. The WHO has recommended it for several years as a way to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, two diseases that affect people at some point throughout their lives. every fourth person.

Science, however, continues to study the mechanisms and details that make exercise a protective factor for mental health. A study from Anglia Ruskin University (UK) was just published this week in the journal. Neurological and Biobehavioral Reviews showed that reduces the risk of depression by 23% and anxiety by 26%.

On the other hand, researchers have shown that not all sports you play are created equal. These are low to moderate intensity activities, e.g. gardeningHe Golf And walk, according to reviews – the most effective. “With regular practice, it can improve mood, reduce anxiety symptoms, and improve cognitive function,” the authors say.

The explanation is that moderate exercise can improve mental health through biochemical reactions associated with the production of endorphins, serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters which play a key role in regulating mood and feelings of well-being.

However, although this does not always happen,high-intensity exercise may worsen stress-related reactions in some people,” said Dr. Lee Smith, who led the study.

A little effort pays off big time

This is good news because light exercise is easier to do. include in the daily routine. As Smith notes, “These activity levels are more achievable for people who can make small changes to their lifestyle without feeling the need to commit to a high-intensity exercise program.”

On the other hand, another study published in the journal PNAS A few years ago, I detailed how people who trained daily found success. more developed areas of the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus in the brain, which is responsible for better mental function in processing and remembering information.

Daily walking, dancing, swimming or any other gentle body movement is so desirable that, according to some researchers, it should be Gold standard treatment for depression and pathological stress. This conclusion was reached by a team from the University of South Australia (UniSA), led by doctors Ben Singh and Timothy Olds, after analyzing 97 reviews, 1039 studies and studies.
128,119 participants.

More effective than drugs

According to his calculations, the exercise even 1.5 times more effective than psychological therapy and antidepressants. At the very least, the experiments show that patients who practice physical activity for twelve weeks improve their symptoms 1.5 times more (on the scale the researchers gave the participants) than those who undergo psychotherapeutic or pharmacological approaches.

Of course, as Singh notes, “Our study doesn’t suggest people should give up psychotherapy or medication, but provide more tools to specialists contribute to the restoration of the mental health of their patients.

Any help is helpful in easing one of the most common health problems causing the most sick leave – depression, which affects 280 million people worldwide. 3.8% of world population According to WHO.