11:52 p.m
Monday, February 27, 2023
agencies
A new Australian study showed that physical exercise is the mainstay in treating depression and getting rid of it, as it is better than medication or consulting doctors, according to the study.
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The study said that physical activity is one and a half times more effective compared to medical consultations and advanced medicines, according to the scientific “sciencedaily” website.
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Researchers at the University of South Australia stated in their study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, that their study is the most comprehensive review to date in this context. They explained that it included 97 reviews, 1,039 trials, and more than 128,000 participants.
The study concluded that physical exercises have significant benefits for relieving symptoms of disorder, anxiety and distress.
The study noted that physical exercise of 12 weeks or less was more effective in reducing mental health symptoms than counseling and medication, and shows how quickly physical exercise can bring about change.
Most of the beneficiaries were pregnant women, those who gave birth recently, those with kidney disease, and others.
According to the data of the World Health Organization, one out of every 8 people in the world (970 million people) suffer from a mental disorder.
Mental health care costs the global economy $2.5 trillion annually, a figure that is expected to increase to $6 billion by 2030.
The study’s lead researcher, Ben Singh, said exercise must be prioritized so that the growing mental health issues can be contained.
Singh pointed out that physical exercises of all kinds are beneficial, such as walking, resistance exercises (lifting and pushing weights), fitness exercises and yoga.
More importantly, it doesn’t take a lot of physical exercise to make a difference in mental health.
