Science confirms that this simple habit enhances your well-being

Also, when you think of activities to stimulate the mind, imagine strenuous exercise, such as jogging, bicycling, or swimming. But research has shown that the simple habit of going out is a great natural remedy.

The study was conducted before the pandemic and looked at 106 patients with mental health problems, including affective, anxiety, mood, personality, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

For a week, they all voluntarily carried an extra phone to track their movements with GPS. They also completed several surveys.

Comparing their walks with the results of these surveys, the authors found that greater movement in space and time seemed to coincide with a greater sense of well-being, even though symptoms of mental health problems remained largely the same. .

As expected, those patients with phobias O anxieties about leaving safe spaces were strongly related to less mobility and a much smaller activity area.

However, no other mental health problem seemed to have the same effect.

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Take the stairs and walk to the stop

In 2020, a small study with 67 participants found that everyday activities, such as walking to the transit stop or climbing a flight of stairs, made people feel more alert and energetic.

MRI scans of the participants’ brains showed that those who felt more energized after movement had a higher volume of gray brain matter in the subgenual cingulate cortex, a part associated with emotional regulation.

Simply getting outside can also play a role. Physical activity in nature in children has been linked to better mental health outcomes in adulthood.

The 2021 GPS study is small and limited, but the findings suggest movement may be a key driver of mental health.

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