A new study published in the Lancet Psychiatry Journal has found that exercising for 45 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week, can improve mental health.
In the study, featuring 1.2 million people, adults said they experienced on average 3.4 days of poor mental health each month, but for those who were physically active, this was reduced to only two days. The study states that team sports, cycling, and aerobics have the most positive impact on mental health, but found that all types of activity, including doing housework and looking after the children, were found to improve mental health.
The link between mental health and physical activity has been debated in the past and the study acknowledges that too much exercise can have negative effects on mental health. Dr Adam Chekroud from Yale University states that doing sessions lastings longer than 90 minutes or more than 23 times a month can actually worsen mental health.
While regular exercise is already proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, this is yet another reason to add some extra movement to your weekly routine. Read the full article to learn more about the study and how physical exercise impacts our bodies and our minds.
