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A study published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Psychiatry reveals that a low dose of physical activity would significantly reduce the risk of depression.
In France, depression is common. 13.5% of French people aged 15 or over reported depressive symptoms in May 2020. To combat this mental illness, many solutions exist, such as adopting a healthy lifestyle. A study published Wednesday April 13 in the journal Jamaica Psychiatry demonstrated that a “low” physical activity would be good for morale. Explanations.
Benefits from 1h15 of sport per week
To arrive at these astonishing results, the researchers analyzed 15 prospective studies involving more than 190,000 people. The objective: to determine the amount of exercise necessary to reduce the effects of depression.
- According to the work, adults doing activities equivalent to 1.25 hours of brisk walking per week were 18% less likely to develop depression – compared to those who did not exercise.
- When participants increased to 2.5 hours of brisk walking per week – or any other equivalent activity – the risks of depression decreased even further (-25%).
- However, adults who accumulated 8.8 hours of sport per week (-25% risk of depression) saw the positive effects decrease “with decreasing potential benefits and higher uncertainty observed beyond this level of exposure”. In summary, past this milestone, scientists observed a decrease in potential benefits.
“Our results show practitioners that new lifestyle recommendations are possible, especially for inactive individuals who may perceive the current recommended exercise goal as unrealistic.“, conclude the authors.
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The benefits of exercise on mental health
The benefits of physical activity are proven. It reduces the risk of developing many diseases – cardiovascular pathologies, obesity, diabetes, cancer, sleep disorders – and increases lifespan.
Physical exercise of any kind also seems beneficial for fighting depression – although no sport replaces therapy. It is nevertheless a non-negligible complement since sport often reduces drug consumption and relieves negative affects linked to a depressive state.
Playing a tennis match, going for a walk in nature, swimming a few lengths in the pool are all activities that promote the concentration of dopamine – a molecule associated with pleasure and motivation – and the secretion of BDNF, a protein that promotes the creation of new neurons, valuable in the fight against suicidal thoughts.