New research from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has found that participating in low to moderate intensity exercise and reduced rates of anxiety and depression.
The analysis, published in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioural Reviews, found that physical activity reduced the risk of depression by 23% and anxiety by 26%.
While exercise isn’t always appealing, the researchers were keen to impress that this doesn’t have to mean our traditional ideas of exercise and can include activities such as gardening, golf, and even walking.
Lead author Lee Smith, Professor of Public Health at ARU said: “These effects of physical activity intensity on depression highlight the need for precise exercise guidelines.
“Moderate exercise can improve mental health through biochemical reactions, whereas high-intensity exercise may worsen stress-related responses in some individuals.”
The NHS said: “Moderate activity will raise your heart rate, and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you’re working at a moderate intensity level is if you can still talk, but not sing.”
Examples of moderate intensity activities include:
It is advised that people should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercises every week but, ultimately, if you’re struggling with your mental health, any exercise is a huge achievement and this number is something that can be worked up to over time.
According to the leading mental health charity Mind, physical activity has lots of benefits for our mental and physical wellbeing. It can help with things like:
The charity also said: “You might find that you have days when you want to be active. But you may also have days when it feels like too much.
“Try to adapt to how you’re feeling. It’s ok to skip an activity you planned if you aren’t feeling up to it.”
