Washington, Apr 10 (ANI): Just 20 minutes of weekly household work can improve your mental health, according to a new study.
Scientists from University College London (UCL) interviewed almost 20000 men and women during Scottish Health Survey.
The participants were asked about their state of mind and their weekly physical activity.
Out of these 20000, over 3000 participants were believed to be suffering from stress or anxiety.
The findings revealed that any form of daily physical activity lowered the risk of distress including housework, gardening, walking.
Sports had the strongest effect, which lowered the risk of distress by 33pct.
The findings also revealed that just 20 minutes of physical activity improved mental state. More activity a person was indulged in, lower were their chances of psychological distress.
According to the authors, physical activity helped in curtailing heart disease and cancers risk and also improved biological risk factors, including glucose intolerance and inflammation, which have themselves been linked to depression and dementia.
The study appears in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. (ANI)
