14 DAY TRIAL // In a study that covered the conclusions of 19 clinical trials, investigators were able to determine that smokers who are trying to quit the habit can experience some relief in the intensity of their cravings if they go out and jog for a bit, or perform some other type of physical exercises.
The team behind the study, from the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom, is still unsure as to whether this also means that physical exercises make it easier for people to quit smoking. What they did establish for sure was that the temporary relief effect was real.
“Certainly, exercise seems to have temporary benefits, and as such can be strongly recommended. After exercise, smokers reported about one-third lower cravings compared with being passive,” Exeter professor of exercise and health psychology, Adrian A. Taylor, PhD, explains.
One of the possible reasons for this link could be that physical exercises work as a distraction. However, more work is needed to certify this hypothesis, PsychCentral reports.