Physical activity can sometimes be more effective than medications in treating depression, anxiety and distress according to a group of medical researchers at the University of South Australia.
What to know:
1)Physical activity is extremely beneficial for improving symptoms of depression , anxiety , and distress and works faster than medications.
2)The greastest benefits from exercise occurred in people with depression , pregnant and postpartum women, healthy individuals and people with HIV or kidney disease.
3)For those with depression and anxiety, higher intensity exercise with bursts of short and mid duration proved MORE beneficial than exercise of long duration.
4)All types of physical exercise were beneficial including walking, resistance training , Pilates and yoga
5)Physical activity was found to be 1.5 times more effective than counselling or the leading medications in managing depression and is being recommended as a mainstay of treatment.
(Summary of article “Effectiveness of Physical Activity Interventionsfor improving depression, anxiety and distress:An overview of systemic reviews”published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on February 24, 2023
