Physical exercise can not only be an extraordinary tool against the effects of COVID-19, but there is also a relationship between exercise and mental health.
Outstanding relationship for mental health
This relationship has recently been highlighted in the Journal “BMC Medicine” where a group of researchers published a series of very interesting data.
According to the American Anxiety and Depression Association of the United States, in 2019 18.1% of adults presented anxiety. And the National Institute of Mental Health reported that 7.1% of adults in the country suffer from depression.
152,978 volunteers participated in this study. The researchers not only monitored the physical conditions of each participant in terms of the development of their physical activity and the conditions of each of them from the point of view of cardiovascular performance and muscle development; They also had to fill out a questionnaire related to anxiety and depression.
After 7 years of monitoring, the researchers concluded that people who do little physical exercise are 98% more likely to suffer from depression and 60% more likely to suffer from anxiety.
Exercise, anxiety and COVID
What can we apply from this study in the case of quarantine generated by COVID?
Obviously, one of the preventive measures of the Covid has been the quarantine. Without entering into a debate on that point specifically, what is certain is that spending more time at home generates more sedentary lifestyle. And in addition, changes in mood can also occur from staying so long in one place.
Reason why, in these times of pandemic, people should establish a plan to perform physical exercises. This way they will be able to maintain the cardiovascular system and the ideal weight in good condition. They also directly collaborate in the prevention of anxiety and depression, which are states that can become a serious threat to people’s lives.
In conclusion, in the fight against COVID-19, in addition to proper respiratory protection, you also have to do good physical activity. This will not only reduce cardiovascular risk, but will offer us more and better mental health.
As Dr Aaron Kandola, head of such research and PhD candidate in the Division of Psychiatry at University College, London, UK puts it: “Here, we have provided further evidence of a relationship between physical and mental health. And that structured exercise aimed at improving different types of fitness is not only good for your physical health, it can also have mental health benefits. “
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