For busy modern people, it can be difficult to exercise every day.
For this reason , there are many people who call themselves ” weekend warriors” and only exercise on weekends .
However, even though people know that exercise is good for their body, some people tend to slack off, thinking, “Even exercising on the weekends is tough… ”
There is something I want you to know, especially those of you who are like that.
A new study by a research team from China’s Yangzhou University has reported that weekend-only exercise is not only good for your physical health, but also for your mental health, and can help reduce anxiety symptoms .
What are the benefits of being a “weekend warrior” who only exercises on weekends?
“Weekend warriors” are people who only exercise once or twice a week on the weekend.
On weekends , when they have the time , they strive to meet the recommended exercise time of 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity.
While its physical benefits are widely recognized, recent research has shown that it also has a significant impact on the mind.
This new study also explores how being a weekend warrior affects your mental health.
A research team from Yangzhou University in China analyzed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
We used data from 13,740 adults from three NHANES cycles from 2007 to 2012.
The data includes a wide range of health-related information, including age, gender, race, education level, income level, BMI, smoking status, alcohol intake, sleep duration, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Exercise habits were classified into four categories: inactive, insufficient activity, weekend warriors (1-2 times a week), and regularly active (3 or more times a week), and the effect of each group on anxiety symptoms was examined.
Of course, it’s better to exercise regularly, not just on weekends, but for busy modern people, even being a weekend warrior can be difficult.
And numerous studies have shown that the weekend warrior’s efforts pay off.
For example, exercising just 1 or 2 days a week can be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease , lowering mortality rates , and improving obesity .
Exercising on the weekends can reduce anxiety by up to 35%
The results of the study were very interesting.
First, compared to the inactive group, all other groups showed reduced anxiety levels.
Additionally, a group of “weekend warriors” who only exercised on weekends were shown to have a significantly lower risk of anxiety symptoms.
Compared to other exercise patterns (e.g., regular activity and inactive activities), weekend-only exercisers showed up to 35% lower anxiety .
The results show that even if you can only exercise on the weekends, there’s still plenty of reason to do it.
Another interesting finding was that this effect was more pronounced in low-income groups and those with diabetes .
The reasons for this are unclear, but it does suggest that weekend exercise can help you feel refreshed and boost your mental health, even in certain difficult situations.
In the past, weekend-only exercise was seen as a way to stay in shape .
But the results of this study suggest that taking some time out to exercise on the weekend can have a significant positive impact on your mental health .
If incorporating exercise into your weekends can help reduce anxiety and calm your mind, it’s definitely worth a try.
The positive impact that a little exercise on the weekend can have on your mental health is immeasurable.
Find an exercise that you can do without straining yourself in your busy daily life and make the most of your weekends.
A healthier mind and body!