Exercise is healthy for body and mind. This is apparent from research by the Trimbos Institute.
The research team finds that people who exercise 50 percent less likely to suffer from a mental health disorder—such as depression, phobias, other anxiety disorders, and alcohol addiction—than the sloths who prefer the couch to some exercise.
In addition, sports also contribute to a faster recovery from such a disorder † The athletes with a recent mental disorder have recovered from their illness one and a half times more often after three years than people with a mental disorder who do not exercise.
According to the researchers, one to three hours of exercise per week is sufficient to achieve a positive effect. One of the recommendations of the Trimbos Institute is therefore that the government allocate more subsidies for sports programmes for people who are sensitive to psychological problems.
