Stress reduction Metropolitans need a lot of relaxation

Metropolitans can cope with stress less - more relaxation needed
Experts say that people living in big cities have more problems coping with stress than rural people. Therefore, they are more likely to suffer from mental illness. To prevent, city dwellers should consciously seek opportunities for relaxation.

City dwellers often have depression
Big cities make people sick. For example, depression or anxiety disorders are much more prevalent in cities than in rural areas, reports the German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology (DGPPN). And people who were born in a big city are even more vulnerable, their schizophrenia risk is more than twice as high according to the experts.

According to experts, city dwellers have more problems with coping with stress than rural dwellers. You should therefore provide more relaxation. Amongst other things, you can help outings in nature. (Image: K.-U. Häßler / fotolia.com)

Rural people react more relaxed to stress
"Studies have shown that the brains of city dwellers respond much more sensitively to negative stress than those of rural dwellers," said DGPPN President Dr. Ing. Iris Hauth.

The fact that city life increases the susceptibility to stress has already been shown in numerous studies, for example by scientists from the Mannheim Central Institute for Mental Health, who found, among other things, a significantly increased brain activity of the amygdala in persons living in a large city.

With them, stress reactions are often more intense - sometimes even with minor incidents. Therefore, health experts recommend that big city dwellers take care to relax enough.

Opportunities for coping with stress
Stress reduction options include relaxation techniques such as yoga and progressive muscle relaxation. or trips to nature.

You can also relax with a simple mindfulness training in everyday life.

But relaxation must be learned. Some people can not easily let go and therefore should not expect that their first practice will bring great success. Recovery periods should be actively integrated into everyday life.

Also recommended are activities with friends - such as a meal together - because a tight social network and a healthy circle of friends often protects against depression and other mental illnesses. (Ad)