A recent review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has found that physical activity may be an effective method to manage these conditions.
In the review, researchers examined 97 studies with over 128,000 participants and discovered that physical activity has a moderate impact on reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. The study also revealed that higher intensity physical activity is linked to greater improvements in symptoms, meaning that engaging in more vigorous physical activities like running or weightlifting may have a stronger positive effect on mental health.
The most significant benefits of physical activity interventions were seen in pregnant and postpartum women, individuals with depression, HIV, kidney disease, and healthy individuals. To promote overall health and wellbeing, the World Health Organization recommends that adults engage in either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week.
