Are you stressed and depressed? New research suggests that exercise has a “calming” effect on the brain by suppressing stress signals, which can reduce the risk of heart disease.

In a study of 50,359 adults, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that physical activity reduced stress-related brain activity. And the cardiovascular effects were especially pronounced for patients with depression. The study was just published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

It is well known that depression and heart disease have a bidirectional relationship, and the presence of one increases the risk of the other. The converse is also true: mitigating one risk can also reduce the other.

Dr. Chen-Han Chen, medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, Calif., told Medical News Today there is a “symbiotic” relationship between cardiovascular disease and depression. . Stress-related conditions can worsen heart disease.

“There is a close relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease, and it is a bidirectional relationship. Approximately one-quarter of people with cardiovascular disease experience depression, and many people with depression They develop heart disease,” said Chen, who was not involved in the study.

“Exercise can combat depression and stress-related brain activity in a variety of ways by naturally influencing brain chemistry, including regulating appetite hormones, reducing inflammation, reducing stress, and increasing metabolism.” ” says the article.

How much exercise is effective?

For the study, researchers combed through medical records at the Massachusetts General Brigham Biobank and looked at surveys about physical activity. They also imaged the brains of 774 study participants to examine stress-related brain activity. After a median follow-up of 10 years, just under 13% of patients developed cardiovascular disease. However, people who achieved recommended levels of physical activity had a 23% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who were less physically active.

“Physical activity is about twice as effective at lowering cardiovascular disease risk in patients with depression,” said Dr. Ahmed Tawakol, a researcher and cardiologist at the Massachusetts Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center and lead author of the study. It was,” he said.

For people without depression, the greatest heart-health benefits of exercise peaked at about 300 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. For people suffering from depression, the extra time had additional benefits.

People who exercise more also have less stress-related brain activity because their prefrontal cortex (the executive function part of the brain where impulse control, decision-making, and other important functions take place) functions better. Ta. Notably, the prefrontal cortex also “suppresses” the brain’s stress centers, researchers say. The reduction in stress signals helped explain the cardiac benefits of exercise.

Choose an exercise and do it

According to the World Health Organization, heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, with 17.9 million people dying from heart-related causes in 2019, mostly from strokes and heart attacks.

The Mass General study did not show a cause-and-effect relationship, but did show a relationship between exercise levels and reductions in both stress and cardiovascular disease. Tawakol said more research is needed to show cause and effect. “In the meantime, clinicians should remind patients that physical activity has important effects on the brain and can have significant benefits for the cardiovascular system in patients with stress-related syndromes such as depression. “We may be able to do that,” added Tawakol, who is also an associate professor of medicine. he said in a written statement at Harvard University.

Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and health management at National Jewish Health in Denver, says lifestyle changes such as incorporating exercise, which is often free, can have a big impact on health. told CNN that this is something that people should really be aware of and take action on. He was not involved in the study.

“These are incredibly cost-effective, the magnitude of improvement is amazing, and in many cases better than any drug. And we are making these tools readily available. should be in the arsenal,” he said.

Freeman told CNN that the choice of activity is more important than the requirement that it be moderately difficult. You should have trouble breathing and be unable to speak in complete sentences.

“Walking, cycling, swimming, if you don’t like it, don’t do it. But find a way to do physical activity that you really enjoy,” he said.

Other studies have found that exercise has many benefits, including one that showed similar results for depression. A study published in February in the journal BMJ found that exercise is beneficial when fighting depression. He suggested that exercise should be part of the treatment plan.

The Deseret News reports on the many benefits of exercise, including improving sleep and reducing insomnia, lowering blood pressure and lowering the risk of dementia.