Miracle cure for stress

 The miracle cure for stress has been found.

“We have found the miracle cure for depression, anxiety, obesity, high blood pressure, ADHD, and more. It works instantly and effectively. Even in small doses… The one hitch? It only works if you take it two hours after exercise.”

 This old joke captures the value of exercise perfectly well, and of course the miracle cure is the exercise itself.Exercise has been shownto have an immediate and positive effect on mood. Even one single dose of exercise – such as 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill - has been shown to lift the mood of a patient suffering from major depression. To help you put this in perspective, it can take up to 8 weeks to feel the full positive effects of an antidepressant while a walk in the park works immediately. 

What science says?

Depression - It has been shown to be as effective as medication in treating depression and to also have longer lasting results. Research shows that physical activity can be preventative, too. Anxiety & ADHD - Physical activity optimizes learning by improving impulse control, attention, arousal and reducing learned helplessness. Exercise affects more than 20 chemicals in the brain in a positive way and may stimulate the release of endorphins and nerve growth factors which are like fertilizers for the brain. Injuries - it's proven that your mind can make you sick and your mind can heal you. More about it here.

The key is to build more activity into your day

Take the stairs. Get off the MRT before your regular stop. Leave your work a little earlier so you can walk back home. At the end of the day, it’s good for your body and your mind.