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Why People with Anxiety Should Deal With Skiing

Why People with Anxiety Should Deal With Skiing

From stunning scenery to adrenaline rush, there are many reasons why people choose to ski. And another advantage is added recently. A new study has found that skiing is associated with great mental health benefits. It turns out that those who ski are people who worry less and experience less anxiety than others.

The latest study, published in 'Frontiers in Psychiatry', found that skiers had an almost 60% lower risk of being diagnosed with anxiety disorders compared to non-skiers.

For years, experts have mastered the fact that physical activity can help prevent anxiety or reduce its symptoms, as this study sheds more light.

The study authors analyzed 197,685 Swedes who took part in the world's largest 56-mile long-distance ski race between 1989 and 2010 and compared their data with non-skiers. They then monitored them for a period of 10 years.

According to experts, it was found that skiers had a 60% lower risk of being diagnosed with anxiety disorders - regardless of education level, age or gender.

The researchers also found that exercise intensity also plays a role. Moreover, there are some differences between men and women.

The time it took skiers to complete the race did not affect the risk of men with anxiety disorders, but high-performing female skiers had almost a double the risk of developing anxiety — compared to women with lower performance.

However, study author Martina Svensson states: "The overall risk of anxiety among these high-performance women was even lower compared to women who are not physically active among the general population."

These differences may come from different physiological responses to exercise — or other factors such as concerns about one's appearance (which is most commonly found in women) and self-perception of the level of physical fitness, which may increase anxiety.

The findings of the study make a lot of sense given that we already know that exercise takes the mind away from disturbing thoughts, and releases higher endorphin levels.

Nature is also known for its great benefits. Combined together, it makes skiing a sport to be considered more often.

* Metro article, translated and adapted into Albanian by Tiranapost.al