Massive new mental health research has shed light on which types of exercise can help people suffering from depression & anxiety, and the frequency & duration we should be aiming for to feel the benefits. The huge study showed that exercise was as good and often better than medication and therapy work at reducing symptoms of depression & anxiety! If you’re wondering how to overcome depression, or how finally rid yourself of anxiety, exercise has been shown to be a huge piece of the jigsaw.
In February 2023 Dr. Ben Singh & colleagues from the University of South Australia released the results of giant meta-review. They put together the results over a 1039 randomised controlled trials, with over 128,000 participants, to see what it tells us about exercise & mental health. The results showed that all types of exercise help. And any amount of exercise was of benefit. Some were slightly better than others though…
DEPRESSION and EXERCISE:
• For depression, the best results were from strength-based interventions (Gym, calisthenics, working your muscles)
• at a moderate to high intensity
• 4-5 days a week was better than less often … OR more often.
• Sessions of 30-60 minutes showed the best result… but keeping the exercise to under 150 minutes total per week showed the best result
… so 4-5 days of 30 minutes gym or calisthenics sessions, where you go pretty hard at it, seems optimal.
ANXIETY and DEPRESSION:
• For anxiety the best results were from stretching, yoga, and other mind-body modalities like Pilates, where the movements are more calming & mindful.
• But still at a moderate to high physical intensity.
• Again, about 4-5 days a week… for under 150 minutes total seems the best
… so, if you’ve been feeling anxious, 4-5 days of 30 minute sessions of yoga or stretching a week-where you’re mindful but still working your body pretty hard-seems optimal.
It’s important to remember though, that all forms of exercise were beneficial, so doing what you like makes sense. Just get out there. If you’re depressed and find it hard to get yourself going, just start with a bit to kick-start yourself into action.
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18 сен 2024
