A recent study suggests intense training can be more effective than both therapy and meds in bolstering mental wellbeing. If life is weighing heavy, read on
MIND NEWSFEED 09/23
04 PHYSICAL THERAPY
05 DIAL IT UP
The idea that a solid workout can benefit your mind is nothing new: even Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, exhorted his followers to ‘keep the body in good health… Otherwise, we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom and keep our mind strong and clear’. Though many of us have long intuited the value of physical activity in maintaining our mental health, its psychological effects have been hard to quantify. Exercise has been used to treat those suffering from clinical anxiety, and a Harvard study suggested that increases in activity levels can slash our odds of depression by more than a quarter – but how does a CrossFit WOD, say, compare with conventional medical interventions?
A new analysis of 1,039 trials by researchers at the University of South Australia has finally put a figure on training’s mental health benefits. According to the study’s lead author, hitting the gym can be 1.5 times more effective than cognitive behavioural therapy or even medication. What’s more, highintensity activity in shorter bursts was found to be most effective in reducing symptoms of depression, an
