New mood research: Tai Chi beats the blues
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Fresh findings from the University of California (UCLA) in the US reveal this ancient exercise can soothe sadness. Rosie Brogan reports.
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- New mood research: Tai Chi beats the blues
The stats on the number of Aussies living with low mood seem only to be moving north, but here’s news that caught my eye: more than 75 per cent of people living with low mood worldwide are without access to effective treatments.
Researchers at UCLA have a gentle solution. In their study recently published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 112 older people were treated with a conventional low mood treatment plus either a two-hour tai chi class or an education session.
All participants had their moods measured four months later. They also had an assessment of their immune systems, resilience levels and cognitive function.
Here’s what researchers found: the tai chi group showed great improvements in mood, boosted quality of life, better memory performance, improved cognition and raised overall energy levels.
“This study shows that adding a mind-body exercise like tai chi that is widely available in the community can improve the outcomes of treating [low mood] in older adults, who may also have other, co-existing medical conditions, or cognitive impairment,” says first author Dr Helen Lavretsky, UCLOA psychiatry professor.
“With tai chi, we may be able to treat these conditions without exposing [low mood sufferers] to additional medications.”
A similar research review published in Complementary and Alternative Medicine found big psychological results flow from the practice of Tai Chi. Of the 33 trials reviewed, 21 reported that regular time spent performing tai chi boosts feelings of wellbeing, reduces stress and lifts mood.
Quick tip: how to live a long life
A long, healthy life, according to Taoist physician and philosopher Sun Ssu-Mo, is about balancing good nutrition with regular Qi Gong / Tai Chi practices for the body and mind. Herbalist and Taoist, Lee Ching-Yen (who reputedly looked 50 when he was over 100 years old), also adds these three rules for longevity, which he himself followed daily:
- Never hurry through life, always maintain a quiet heart
- Avoid extreme outbursts of emotion: these drain energy from the body and disrupt the function of our organs
- Practice daily breathing (Qi Gong) and exercises (Tai Chi)
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