The coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and restrictions imposed as a result to help contain virus spread have impeded a lot of movement. Social distancing has limited social gatherings and people have been allowed to work from home, which has led to increased sedentary behaviors. This sedentary way of life, while reducing work-home commutes and allowing us to stay home more, could be problematic.
New research has found that a lack of movement not only impacts our physical health but our mental health as well. The study found that remaining seated for a considerable amount of time was linked to greater symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study’s findings were published in the “Frontiers in Psychiatry” journal. The study’s objective was to examine the link between mental health and changes in self-reported activity behaviors.
For their study, the researchers tracked the behaviors and moods of more than 2,300 participants who had been recruited from the United States. The study was conducted for an eight-week period, between April 3 through June 3, 2020. In their conclusion, the researchers noted that sitting for a significant amount of time was linked to worse depressive symptoms over time.
They also found that individuals who sat more often and for a longer period felt more depressed and anxious as a result. This is in addition to discovering that the types of activities individuals engaged in while seated also changed.
Lead author of the study Jacob Meyer stated that passive sedentary behaviors such as watching TV or browsing through social media were the most influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the most damaging for mental health. In the report, the researchers note that last year saw increases in these damaging activities, which replaced the sedentary activities that are said to be better for individuals’ mental health. These activities include social activities, such as playing a board game with friends, and family gatherings.
Experts emphasize that physical activity can counteract excessive sitting as well as improve an individual’s mental health. The researchers believe that better understanding which changes in activity behaviors mitigate or improve harmful changes in mental health over time may help inform public health policies and guidelines in the event of future pandemics.
If you’ll be spending a lot of time at home, either while on quarantine or simply working from home, you are advised to prioritize movement. This will be good for both your physical and mental health.
There is a growing concern that the ongoing pandemic has worsened the mental health situation in the United States and around the world, and this makes it even more urgent for new classes of effective treatments, such as the psychedelic-based formulations that are being developed by companies such as Cybin Inc. (NYSE American: CYBN) (NEO: CYBN) to be approved and commercialized.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (NYSE American: CYBN) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CYBN
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