Hills not Pills

My article in this month's TGO is called Hills not Pills and looks at the psychological benefits of exercise in the outdoors. (some references for the piece are here) Others have written about this recently - like Chris Kresser - but one of the things that prompted me to write was learning just how many people rely on antidepressants.  It is true here in the UK but also across the world as this graphic shows.


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Just go outside for a walk

Sitting - bad for mental health too

I've had stuff here in the past about the way in which spending a lot of time sitting has serious negative health consequences.  Previously the things I've pointed to have highlighted the impact on physical health - cardiovascular disease, posture etc.

Today I saw this report which also mentions the impact on mental health. (via Science Daily)

There is not much detail but it just notes that

• That more time spent sitting at work was associated with a decrease in mental well-being.

and quotes one of the researchers:

Dr Duncan says "People don't need a psychologist to tell them to get up and walk around. But if it helps, I'd tell them to put a post-it note on their computer to remind them. Anyway go and talk to your colleagues face to face, it's a lot more sociable and better for you than emailing them."

Fair enough.  If we are doing things that are not what we were designed for then there will always be negative consequences which include problems for our mental state.  This of course is related to the things I've also mentioned in the past about Green Exercise.  Like sitting down a lot, being isolated from nature is also unnatural and will lead to problems (as Chris Kresser pointed out just this week)