The benefits of regular physical activity are many. In particular, it allows traumatized people to improve their mental and biological health.
- ANSES recommends practicing cardiorespiratory activity for 30 minutes and 5 times a week (running, cycling, climbing stairs, walking at a brisk pace, etc.).
- Muscle strengthening should also be done once or twice a week (carrying a heavy load, playing tennis, swimming or aerobics, etc.)
- And ideally perform stretching exercises 2 to 3 times a week (gymnastics, dance, yoga…).
Physical exercise helps young women who experienced childhood trauma feel better, a new study has found.
Loss of a parent, physical abuse or abandonment
61% of Americans report having experienced at least one childhood trauma, such as the loss of a parent, physical abuse or abandonment. 16% experienced four or more.
To help them, a team of researchers divided 42 healthy young adult women into three groups: one experimental and two controls. The experimental group and the first control group each included 14 people who had experienced at least four childhood traumas. The members of the last ensemble had not suffered any difficult events as children.
The experimental group participated in a moderate-intensity exercise program consisting of two days of aerobics and two days of resistance work per week. The difficulty increased as time passed.
systolic pressure
Compared to the two control groups, traumatized women who exercised regularly saw their cardiovascular health and psychological well-being improve. Their systolic blood pressure went down, as did their levels of endothelin-1, a peptide that triggers constriction of blood vessels. They also showed a better ability to plan goals, which is a sign of better hope for the future.
“Our data demonstrate a consistent psychophysiological and cardiovascular link in young women who experienced significant childhood psychosocial stress. This association may be attenuated by participation in structured and progressive physical training,” conclude the scientists.
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