Interesting The results of a series of research studies from the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science of the University of Thessaly on the effect of exercise on symptoms of anxiety and depression often observed during the perinatal period, pregnancy and postpartum.
The present research was designed and carried out as part of the doctoral thesis of Natalia Tzoumas, a scholar of the State Scholarship Foundation-ICF.
According to the latest World Health Organization guidelines for better health (2020), pregnant women and lechos should exercise at least 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity, meaning that our breathing and heart should work faster than at rest but at the same time we should not feel discomfort and be able to speak normally.
What the results showed
The first study was published in a prestigious international journal which is the official medical journal of the International Association of Emotional Disorders. The results, according to the researchers, showed that different types of exercise performed 40 minutes a day for 3-4 days a week for four and a half months reduced the symptoms of perinatal depression more than commonly used interventions in the perinatal period, e.g., pharmacotherapy, psychological sessions, routine perinatal care, etc.
A purely aerobic form of exercise with moderate intensity (e.g. somewhat fast walking or very slow running alternating with walking) performed 52 min/day for 4 days per week for 5 months proved to be even more effective. The second study (submitted for publication) highlighted the importance of intensity, duration and type of exercise in participating pregnant women and lechos.
Specifically, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, mostly walking, for about 40 minutes/day on nearly all days of the week during 36 weeks of pregnancy and 10 weeks of postpartum, improved symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in the intervention group, compared with a control group receiving perinatal care and education.
Finally, the third study published in the international journal of the official International Society of Sport Psychology - ISSP recorded the opinions and experiences of the participating women themselves regarding the intervention. These converged on three beneficial factors. Firstly, the autonomy given to the trainees to self-select the variation in exercise intensity. Second, in the positive role of obstetricians in promoting systematic exercise during pregnancy and postpartum. Thirdly, the importance of initiating exercise from the beginning of pregnancy and during the postpartum period, while involving the partner.
The findings of the above studies, the researchers stress, provide a high level of scientific evidence with excellent clinical relevance. However, more randomized repeated-measures studies with participants with a clinical diagnosis of perinatal depression are needed to draw even more definitive conclusions.
In statements to AP-MPA, Nikolaos Komoutos, associate professor of psychology of physical education and sport and Ioannis D. Morres, assistant professor and clinician of physical activity and exercise in mental health, as supervisors of the project, emphasized on the basis of these studies: "Exercise in perinatal depression as in a multitude of other medical conditions and diseases is a treatment that brings antidepressant and anxiolytic effects and better quality of life in combination with other treatments."
However, the professors of the University of Thessaly emphasize that it is important that exercise programs are designed and guided by physical education professors specialized in clinical exercise for the perinatal period and for mental disorders. Equally important is that the type of exercise should be easy, enjoyable, safe and chosen autonomously by the individual in collaboration with the specialist exercise clinician. In conclusion, extensive promotion of exercise during the perinatal period is recommended as depression affects about 16% of pregnant women and 20% of lechonas (World Health Organization, 2017) but often it is not diagnosed early or appropriate treatment is not followed due to fear of possible side effects of pharmacotherapy and the stigma that accompanies mental disorders and accompanying treatments, they conclude, emphasizing.
Source: in.gr
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