Sarah Oliver Osteopathy

Exercise in your spare time to avoid depression

10th November, 2010 - Posted by Sarah - No Comments

A study of 40,000 people has indicated that exercising in your leisure time helps reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Volunteers were questioned by researchers from King’s College London.  They were asked about physical activity carried out during work and leisure times, and about levels of anxiety and depression.

Results show that those who are physically active outside of working hours have fewer symptoms of depression.  Dr Samuel Harvey, the lead researcher on the project said: “Our study shows that people who engage in regular leisure-time activity of any intensity are less likely to have symptoms of depression. We also found that the context in which activity takes place is vital and that the social benefits associated with exercise, like increased numbers of friends and social support, are more important in understanding how exercise may be linked to improved mental health than any biological markers of fitness.”

You can read the abstract of the study here.