Study Shows Exercise Cuts Stress and Heart Disease Risk

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, physical activity affects stress and other mood-related conditions. This study examined the medical records of more than 50,000 people who completed a survey about physical activity. A smaller subset of 774 study participants also had brain imaging tests to help measure stress-related brain activity. After a 10-year median follow-up, the researchers found that 12.9% of participants developed CVD(cardiovascular disease). Those who achieved recommended levels of physical exercise had a 23% lower risk of developing CVD than those who did not. 

The researchers found an inverse relationship between physical activity and stress-related brain activity. Higher levels of exercise result in lower levels of stress-related brain activity, and people with conditions like depression benefit from it. According to some doctors, it is roughly twice as effective in lowering cardiovascular disease risk among those with depression. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cardiovascular diseases cause death among 17.9 million people worldwide. Depression affects approximately 280 million people worldwide, according to the WHO. Depression can lead to CVD, due to which numerous associated behaviors like alcohol abuse or binge eating are often side effects. Researchers say about a quarter of people with cardiovascular disease experience depression, and many people with depression develop heart disease. Besides depression, other mental health disorders associated with cardiovascular disease are anxiety and PTSD. 

People with depression can experience increased blood pressure and physiological stress, which are risk factors for heart disease. In addition, they may be more prone to adopt lifestyle changes, such as smoking and physical inactivity, that can further increase their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 

Anxiety results in higher heart rate and blood pressure, along with elevation of cortisol, all of which increase the risk of CVD. Both depression and anxiety lead to unhealthy pro-inflammatory behaviors like smoking and being sedentary. In contrast, exercise is anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective. 

Numerous medications work for depression since they increase neurotransmitters within the brain that can affect behavior and mood. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Lexapro or Prozac are commonly prescribed for depression, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like Cymbalta or Pristiq can be used to treat other anxiety-related disorders. However, exercise can counter depression and stress-related brain activity in several ways, such as by naturally affecting brain chemistry, regulating appetite hormones, reducing inflammation, reducing stress, and increasing metabolism.