Patients with chronic illnesses often suffer from anxiety, but new research suggests that this can be relieved through regular exercise.

A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that regular exercise was associated with a 20 per cent reduction in anxiety symptoms among patients with various medical conditions.

The research looked at 40 previously published studies involving nearly 3,000 patients, with conditions ranging from heart disease and multiple sclerosis to cancer and arthritis.

Lead author Matthew Herring, from the University of Georgia College of Education, commented: ‘Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that physical activities such as walking or weight lifting may turn out to be the best medicine that physicians can prescribe to help their patients feel less anxious.’

Further analysis revealed that exercise sessions lasting for longer than 30 minutes were particularly effective at reducing anxiety, while the optimum duration appeared to be between three and 12 weeks.

Anxiety is also common in people with panic disorders, phobias and post-traumatic syndrome.

News Resource: netdoctor.co.uk