Anxiety prevention may be here

　　 Anxiety prevention may be in sight.

　　 New research shows that cross-country skiers—and perhaps other strenuous exercisers—are less likely to develop anxiety disorders than less active people.

　　 Sweden researchers have spent about 20 years tracking the anxiety risk of more than 395,000 Swedes. Nearly half of the participants are skiers with a history of participating in long-distance cross-country skiing competitions. Others are non-skiers of similar age and are considered less active.

　　 study lead author, Lund University Experimental Neuro-Inflammation Laboratory Associate Researcher Martina Svensson (Martina Svensson) pointed out: "We found that more physically active lifestyle groups have a lower risk of anxiety Nearly 60%.”

　　 She and her colleagues pointed out that anxiety disorders are common. About 1 in 10 people are at risk, and women are usually twice as vulnerable as men.

　　 In order to explore whether physical activity can prevent anxiety in some way, the team focused on men and women who participated in the Vasaloppet ski competition from 1989 to 2010.

　　 The annual Swedish event is known as the world’s largest long-distance cross-country skiing competition, with distances ranging from 19 to 56 miles. About half of the study participants participated in the competition; the other half did not.

　　 In the September 10 issue of "Frontiers in Psychiatry", researchers pointed out that the ski group with an average age of 36 had healthier eating habits, smoked less, participated in more recreational sports, and had a better experience. Education, compared with ordinary people in Sweden.

　　 Study participants were followed for an average of 10 years, during which time, less than 1,650 participants developed some form of anxiety.

　　 Among men and women, the risk of skiers is significantly reduced. However, Svensson emphasized that although this finding illustrates the link between activity and reduced anxiety risk, it does not prove causality.

　　 dig deeper,Investigators found a significant gender gap. After analyzing the end time of the race, the skiers are divided into three groups according to their performance: the fastest timed, the second fastest and the third fastest.

　　 After analyzing all three groups by gender, the research team found that regardless of the ski speed, the anxiety risk for men is still equally low—and lower than that of non-skiers. But this is not the case for women.

　　 “We were surprised to find that compared with underperforming women, the risk of anxiety disorders in physically performing women almost doubled,” Swenson admitted.

　　 She emphasized that even so, “compared to less active women in the general population, these well-performing women still have a lower overall risk of anxiety. Therefore, it seems that both sexes benefit from physical activity, although the best The level of men and women may be different."

　　 Svensson said that her study did not analyze the underlying root causes of gender differences. Researchers also did not accurately investigate why exercise might help reduce anxiety. She said that both require further research.

　　 Still, Svensson pointed out that “physical activities can focus and distract other potentially anxious thoughts.” She pointed out that “exercise can also fine-tune your body’s stress system to better cope with other stressful situations.”

　　 James Maddox, professor emeritus of psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, was not surprised by these findings.

　　 "There are quite a few studies showing that almost any form of exercise-even a 10-minute walk-can help people control anxiety," said Madukes, a senior scholar at the GMU Happiness Promotion Center.

　　 “In fact, many cognitive behavioral therapists ‘prescribe’ exercise is an important part of their intervention for clients with anxiety or depression or both,” he pointed out.

　　 As for the reason, Maddux responded to the point raised by Svensson, adding that research has found that participating in sports can bring a sense of accomplishment and greater self-confidence, thereby reducing anxiety.

　　 "I think anyone dealing with anxiety, stress or depression should seriously consider regular exercise as a strategy to better manage their emotions."Maduke said. "I said this is not based on the results of this particular study, but based on cumulative research on this issue. You don't have to join the gym or go cross-country skiing. Just start walking for a few minutes each day. ”