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12 October 2020
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Story Arina Engelbrecht
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Photo Supplied
Arina Engelbrecht from Organisational Development and Employee Well-being believes physical activity has a number of benefits for one’s health, including stress relief.
Being physically active plays a big role in preventing the development of mental-health problems and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental-health problems.
Treatment for depression
Physical activity can be an alternative treatment for depression. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with medication and/or psychological therapy. It promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns are formed that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It releases endorphins – powerful chemicals in the brain that energise your spirit and make you feel good.
Physical activity can be very effective in relieving stress. Research in adults has found that physically active individuals tend to have lower stress levels compared to individuals who are less active. It also leads to improved sleep. When a person sleeps better and feels more rested, overall quality of life improves. They cope better with daily life stressors.
Reduce Alzheimer's risk
Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by up to 50%. It can also slow down further deterioration in those who have already started to develop cognitive problems. It stimulates the brain’s ability to maintain old connections as well as to make new ones.
A study asked people to rate their mood immediately after periods of physical activity (e.g. going for a walk/run, cycling, doing housework) and periods of inactivity (e.g. reading a book or watching television). Researchers found that participants felt more content, more awake, and calmer after being physically active compared to after periods of inactivity.
In conclusion, people who are physically active feel a sense of well-being, feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives.
“Being physically active not only changes your body, it changes your mind,
attitude, and your mood.” – Arina Engelbrecht
UFS partners with SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein
2009-06-03
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At the occasion were, from the left: Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor at the UFS, Ms Justa Niemand, Chief Executive Manager, African SUN MeDIA, Prof. Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: Academic Planning, and Mr Wikus van Zyl, Manager, SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein.
Photo: Vida Booysen |
A partnership between the University of the Free State (UFS) and SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein, a company of AFRICAN SUN MeDIA Holdings, was recently launched on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein. SUN MeDIA is established as an academic publishing company. This company also has a digital printing and binding plant for on-demand production of books and other products. SUN MeDIA’s technology makes it possible to publish niche and specialist research titles that would probably not have been published in the traditional publishing environment.