Stressed? Try doing the dishes more often!

By Lucy Cockcroft


Doing just 20 minutes of housework or gardening every week is enough to boost mental health and reduce stress, a study has found.

Physical exercise has long been proven to lower anxiety levels, but experts have disagreed on what type of activity is best, and how regular it needs to be.

Now the Scottish Health Survey, based on information from 20,000 men and women and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, has determined that 20 minutes of any activity once a week is effective.

Mark Hamer, the author of the study, from University College London, said domestic activities such as DIY, cleaning and gardening reduced stress levels by up to 20 per cent, while there was a "greater risk reduction for sports activity" of a third.