(NewsNation) — With mental health a pivotal topic in society today, there are always questions abound about what activities or hobbies benefit someone in that area. They include exercise.
Recently, a new study by the University of Georgia revealed that someone’s mental health can be affected not just by the amount of physical activity they do, but also the context in which it occurs.
Physical activity is usually acknowledged as beneficial for mental health. However, new evidence supports that leisure time physical activity can also lead to less depression and anxiety. Increased physical activity is often linked to fewer depressive symptoms.
“Historically, physical activity research has focused on how long someone exercises for or how many calories were burned,” said Professor Patrick O’Connor, Mary Frances Early College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology. “The ‘dose’ of exercise has been the dominant way researchers have tried to understand how physical activity might influence mental health, while often ignoring whether those minutes were spent exercising with a friend or as part of a game.”
People’s mental health benefits can also be affected by the enjoyment of the exercise they’re participating in, the purpose of the exercise, and the social setting it’s taking place. In addition, voluntary activities show stronger effects than regular or stressful exercise.
The study also argues that people’s understanding of personal and situational factors can improve outcomes.
Trials from the research also uncovered that people adopting regular exercise routines boost mental health, especially for those with pre-existing mental health disorders.