Can You Move Your Way to Happiness?

Uncovering Exercise’s Impact on Mental Health

The Running Physio
Exercise In-Depth

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Photo by MARK ADRIANE on Unsplash

Introduction

We’ve all been there, feeling down or overwhelmed by the stresses of everyday life.

But did you know that exercise can be a powerful ally in combating these negative emotions?

Physical activity has long been regarded as an essential component of a healthy lifestyle, and now, a comprehensive study sheds new light on the impact of PA on mental health, specifically depression and anxiety.

This groundbreaking research, encompassing an extensive body of evidence, highlights the potential benefits of PA interventions for a wide range of populations and clinical conditions.

Photo by Gabin Vallet on Unsplash

Key Findings

The study, which analyzed the results of 97 systematic reviews and 1039 unique randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving over 128,000 participants, found that PA interventions were effective in improving symptoms of depression and anxiety.

The benefits were observed across all clinical populations, although the magnitude of the effect varied. The most…

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The Running Physio
Exercise In-Depth

Physiotherapist | PhD | Avid runner 🏃🏼 | Straight-up, science-backed advice to improve your health and fitness | Editor Exercise In-Depth