I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we are getting to THAT time of year again. Yes, I am talking about the shorter days, wind & eventual snow. As we transition into winter months here in South Dakota there tends to be an uptick in the ‘seasonal blues’, which is better known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. While everyone may have their own remedy to combat these blues, the British Journal of Sports Medicine recently summarized some key findings regarding the effects of exercise on depression, anxiety and distress…
The purpose of this paper and subsequent review was to synthesize the evidence on the effects of physical activity on symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress in adults. Looking at the most recent data it was concluded 1 in 8 adults worldwide were affected by some sort of mental health disorder in 2019. Looking towards the future, based off these numbers, it can be estimated that $6 trillion (USD) will be spent annually towards mental health by the year 2030.
While various forms of exercise were examined, it was found aerobic & resistance exercise were the most beneficial. Higher intensities were associated with greater improvements. And a significantly positive correlation was found between all sorts of physical activity and depression/anxiety compared to that of ‘usual care’ (read: medication & counseling).
The takeaway: with an expected uptick of the winter ‘blues’, physical activity should be a mainstay approach in the management of depression, anxiety & psychological stress.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to stay active in winter and move your body properly, request an appointment with one of our performance physical therapists.
Source:
Singh B, Olds T, Curtis R, Dumuid D, Virgara R, Watson A, Szeto K, O’Connor E, Ferguson T, Eglitis E, Miatke A, Simpson CE, Maher C. Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews. Br J Sports Med. 2023.
