Physical activities and workouts may help curb depression: Study

Suffering from depression and anxiety disorders? More physical activities and workouts may help to uplift the mood and improve your mental health problems, suggests a new study.

The study by Michigan State University found that exercises can quickly elevate a depressed mood, and the patients should create a comprehensive exercise plan and work regularly to achieve the specific goal.

"Physical activity has been shown to be effective in alleviating mild to moderate depression and anxiety," Carol Janney, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the US, said.

"Current physical activity guidelines advise at least 30 minutes of exercise in five days a week to promote mental and physical health," Janney added.

The researchers studied over 295 mental health patients and asked if the patients wanted their therapists to help them become more physically active.

The results showed over 80 per cent of the patients believed that the exercises recommended by the researchers helped them in improving their moods and anxiety in less time.

The study, published in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, noted the statements of more than half of the participants who claimed that their depressed mood limited their ability to exercise.

"Offering physical activity programs inside the mental health clinics may be one of many patient-centered approaches that can improve the mental and physical health of patients," Janney said.

Mental health experts such as psychiatrists and therapists may not have the necessary training to prescribe physical activity as part of their mental health practice, but by teaming up with the certified personal trainers or other exercise programmes may help in prescribing more physical activity in the clinic setting, the researchers added.