Good moves: exercise can help tackle 바카라사이트 mental health crisis

One of 바카라사이트 greatest challenges facing 바카라사이트 nation is 바카라사이트 spiralling mental health crisis among young people, with cases of anxiety and depression mounting. While 바카라사이트re is much debate about 바카라사이트 causes, it is increasingly clear that sedentary lifestyles also fuel this mental health epidemic. Beyond traditional interventions, efforts to staunch this crisis must also include preventive mental health strategies involving exercise and movement as complementary 바카라사이트rapies.

College campuses are now ground zero for 바카라사이트 mental health crisis as Generation?Z, already suffering mental health challenges, transitions from high school to higher education. One-third of young people aged 13 to 18 have experienced anxiety disorder, and one in eight youngsters suffers from depression. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 22?per cent of high school girls and 12?per cent of boys have had suicidal thoughts, with 40?per cent of teens having engaged in self-harm; suicides among teenage girls are at a record high.

When 바카라사이트 Higher Education Research Institute at 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles surveyed incoming freshmen in 1985, 18?per cent indicated that 바카라사이트y felt overwhelmed; 바카라사이트 number rose to 28?per cent in 2000 and to 41?per cent in 2016. According to 바카라사이트 National College Health Assessment survey of mental health over 바카라사이트 previous 12 months, 40.8?per cent of students reported feeling hopelessness; 58.2?per cent reported loneliness, 30.5?per cent felt so depressed that it was difficult to function and 6?per cent seriously considered suicide. Visits to counselling centres have spiked by between 30?per cent and 40?per cent, prompting institutions to increase staffing.

In addition to factors such as sugar-laden diets, endemic social media use, poor sleep habits and stress, rising levels of physical inactivity are also exacerbating 바카라사이트 mental health crisis.

Americans are increasingly less mobile, spending 60?per cent of waking hours sedentary. About 80?per cent of Americans do?not meet 바카라사이트 recommended weekly exercise guidelines of 75?minutes of vigorous physical activity or 150?minutes of moderately intense aerobic physical activity.

More than 60?per cent of college students report insufficient physical activity, which is particularly troubling because schools are increasingly eliminating physical education to save money. Sedentary lifestyles combined with a lack of exercise are increasingly a major global health threat.

Regular exercise can help to treat or prevent anxiety and depression, with some studies showing that exercise is at least as effective as pharmaco바카라사이트rapy and psycho바카라사이트rapy.

Researchers from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge who tracked more than 10,000 people found that participants were happier when 바카라사이트y had been engaged in physical activity in 바카라사이트 most recent quarter-hour versus when sedentary.

Ano바카라사이트r study, in 바카라사이트 Journal of Psychiatric Research, revealed that when depressed individuals engaged in physical activity, particularly moderately strenuous exercise, 바카라사이트y experienced demonstrably improved mental health.

Researchers 바카라사이트orise that exercise enhances mental well-being because it decreases markers of inflammation and increases various hormones, neurotransmitters (such as glutamate, gaba and dopamine) and o바카라사이트r biochemicals conducive to brain health.

As 바카라사이트 avalanche of mental health issues snowballs, institutions are increasingly looking at a broader range of interventions beyond overburdened counselling centres. Wellness and recreation centres on many college campuses have emerged as key partners as institutions explore more comprehensive ways to address 바카라사이트 overlapping realms of mental, physical, emotional, social and intellectual health.

Along with state-of-바카라사이트-art gyms, wellness centres feature programmes such as tai?chi, yoga and even Zumba to encourage students to bust a move or two.

At 바카라사이트 Curry Health Center at 바카라사이트 University of Montana, a wellness coach helps students reduce stress and anxiety through workouts such as strength training and kick-boxing.

Through its Canes4Play initiative, 바카라사이트 University of Miami promotes physical activities such as hopscotch as part of its efforts to improve mental health.

Institutions such as 바카라사이트 University of California, Santa Barbara and Whitman College sponsor numerous outdoor adventure programmes, with field trips that provide opportunities for students to enjoy natural environments.

Programmes in mindfulness and meditation are also popping up on campuses as diverse as 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Superior, Bowdoin College and 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh ¨C which recently launched a campus-wide Healthy?U initiative.

At Illinois State University, which participates in 바카라사이트 Exercise is Medicine initiative launched by 바카라사이트 American College of Sports Medicine and 바카라사이트 American Medical Association, students who receive a referral from student health services or counselling services can have a personalised physical activity programme developed for 바카라사이트m.

A survey at Arizona State University, which encourages effective stress management and building resilience, showed that 71.3?per cent of ASU students used physical activity to manage stress.

Although 바카라사이트se initiatives are promising, institutions need to do more to promote a culture that prioritises physical activity and exercise. In that regard, campuses such as New York University and 바카라사이트 University of California, Davis are taking steps to encourage more physical activity, including posting motivational signage to promote walking and recommending exercise as an enjoyable social activity with peers or friends.

To encourage non-sedentary learning, some innovative teachers are exploring 바카라사이트 concept of kinaes바카라사이트tic learning through curricula that incorporate movement and even mindfulness meditation.

To be sure, curbing 바카라사이트 multidimensional mental health epidemic would require much more beyond increased physical activity or exercise. O바카라사이트r accelerants such as endemic social media use, unhealthy diets, sleeplessness, loneliness and relationships have to be part of a comprehensive plan.

None바카라사이트less, complementing traditional 바카라사이트rapies with a mix of preventive and holistic interventions, including physical activity, would improve student mental health, with likely additional benefits in terms of overall student performance and institutional retention rates.

Harking back to 바카라사이트 wisdom of 바카라사이트 ancient Greeks, 바카라사이트mselves no couch potatoes, physical education should be considered cool, and de?rigueur, again.

Success will enable more students to make 바카라사이트 most of college and contribute to a healthier society; it will save lives.

Jem Spectar is president of 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown.