06/11/2018 / By Carol Anderson
Teens aged between 15 and 19 were found to be more vulnerable to succumb to depression due to academic stress and social pressure. To combat this mental issue, experts suggest that teens run a mile daily to prevent depression.
Research says, the lack of physical activity could possibly be the reason why more kids are having problems with mental health issues. This case is even more evident in secondary school as students become more sedentary.
What started out as a simple initiative of primary school headteacher Elaine Wyllie in Scotland, the “daily mile” has now become a solution in more than 2,000 schools in the U.K. to address the issue of the kids’ lack of physical activity and depression. Essentially, kids either walked or jogged or ran for 15 minutes in addition to their P.E. class. The study showed that children who participated in the scheme appeared to be significantly healthier.
Professor Mark Beauchamp of the British Columbia University noted how ideal the daily mile is since it does not require specialized exercise equipment and can be done at any given time. He also suggested trying the “Take 10!” scheme practiced in the U.S. wherein students do a combination of a 10-minute exercise and “walking meetings.”
Moreover, a Harvard University study emphasized that while taking medications such as antidepressants is a common treatment among sufferers, exercise is also a good solution to treat depression. However, researchers clarified that severe cases of the condition may need more than just regular exercise.
Exercise has always been tagged as an effective way to help fight stress and depression. According to studies, exercise releases happy endorphins which are brain chemicals that leave a person happier. In addition, having a routine of physical activities can promote a healthier psychological and emotional state.
A gym membership is not really necessary if you want to start exercising to help you fight off depression. Try these simple workouts you can do even at home:
Learn more on how exercise can improve your mood by visiting Mind.news.
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Tagged Under: alternative treatments, Antidepressants, Anxiety, Clinical depression, depression, endorphins, exercise, health benefits, jogging, mental health, mind body science, Naturopathy, physical activity, remedies, running, severe depression, stress, stress relief, stress reliever, teenagers, Teens, walking