health
Sport and psyche: Running and Co. can alleviate mental illnesses
Depressed moods and depression have increased in recent years. The number of sick days has increased as a result. Could exercise like running help reverse this trend?
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Ukraine War and Corona Pandemic – we live in extremely stressful times. The feeling of being threatened also affects the soul. Exercise can help against depression and other problems.
In recent years, the number of mental illnesses has increased steadily. Depression and the like have been ensuring for some time now that the average number of sick days is also increasing. Many doctors are now expecting a further increase in this type of disease due to the ongoing threat posed by the Ukraine war and the corona pandemic. It is therefore high time to counteract this development with effective measures. What could that be?
Many experts have long recommended a sufficient level of moderate exercise as a preventive measure against mental illness. Particularly consistent endurance sports such as running are even considered a potent remedy. Physical activity is extremely effective against fear and anxiety. This is because neuropeptide Y (NPY) is increasingly released during exertion. It acts as a resilience factor and calms the amygdala, an area in the brain that is responsible for fears, among other things.
In order to achieve this relaxing effect, one must exercise moderately, but above all regularly. Depending on your condition, even a quick walk can have a corresponding effect. The heartbeat should rise noticeably, but not race. A high level of physical stress during training can even trigger the opposite. Because such a strong exertion can cause stress in people who are already permanently tense. Running works particularly well because the uniformity of movement relaxes the brain overall. That’s why it’s no illusion that after running training you’re less worried about the future.
Running can cure depression
There is growing evidence that exercise also seems to play an important role in depression. Especially because the latest theories assume that depression is also caused by inflammation. And it is precisely against these that sport works particularly well. The recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) seems to be right on the scale of the training. 150 minutes a week is probably a good dose. It is best distributed in such a way that physical activity takes place every day.