Baduanjin Qigong Improves Mental Health

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April 23, 2015 - Mental disorders affect not only individual well-being but also community health, which pushes mental care professionals to investigate various solutions to accommodate different needs. The exercise of Baduanjin, a form of Qigong, facilitates improvements in psychological health, potentially serving as an alternative choice for interventions.

A researcher from the University of Hong Kong performed a comprehensive review of 28 publications, among which three are in English and 25 in Chinese. These publications indicated enhancement in quality of life and mental health for a variety of participants, including college students, middle-aged individuals, the elderly, and patients who suffer from different mental problems or chronic physical illnesses.

The outcomes suggest that this cost-effective, learner-friendly and self-pacing exercise should be promoted in individual and group settings for both curative and preventive measures, and for which further investigations are also recommended.

This study is published by Journal of bodywork and movement therapies.