Exercise has a proven track record for relieving stress, yet less than half of Canadians use it this way, according to a recent study. A survey of 40,000 Canadians 15 or older found that exercise ranked 8th out of 13 coping strategies, below “talking to others”, “looking on the bright side”, “ignoring stress” and even “blaming oneself.”
The researchers found that those who did use exercise to cope with stress tended to be younger, unmarried and of higher socioeconomic status, and were less likely to smoke or use alcohol. They suggest that picking up exercise as a means of coping with stress, especially among groups currently not getting enough activity, could have positive mental benefits as well as physical ones.
Original research paper published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health in July 2014.
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