Exercise and mental health

Cyclists head off-road on Cape York adventure to help investigate effect of exercise on mental health.

A group of cyclists taking part in a research project investigating the link between exercise and mental health have reached the tip of Cape York in far north Queensland.The cyclists are taking part in the Tour Cross Oz, a series of rides across the country that have collectively raised more than $1 million for mental health research through the Black Dog Institute.

Tour founder Neil Jackson said navigating Cape York’s mostly gravelled Telegraph Track was a new challenge for the cyclists from Sydney and Melbourne.

“Typically we’re roadies, we like tarmac, nice and flat and easy,” Mr Jackson said.

“This is the first [off-road ride] we’re doing. When we heard about the Telegraph Track we thought that’s probably the best location in Australia to try it.”

Key points:

• Cyclists wore watches tracking how hard they were working and their sleeping patterns
• The data was compared with the riders’ moods throughout the trip
• The information adds to previous research into the link between mental health and exercise

Mr Jackson said the idea of the ride was to start conversations about mental health.

“Many of the riders have an association with mental health challenges either as a lived experience or a family member,” he said.

Source
ABC News