People who lead physically and mentally active lifestyles, which can lead to mild stress levels, may be at a lower risk of developing melanoma or colon cancer. This is because a recent study published in Cell suggests that a busy schedule could be preventing the growth of cancerous tumors.

For the trial, researchers allowed mice with these diseases limited amounts of physical activity outside of their cages, which led the animals to experience low to medium levels of stress, according to Huliq.com.

The results of the trial showed that that tumors had decreased in size by 77 percent and in volume by 43 percent. In fact, after living in an enriched environment for three weeks, some of the mice were cancer-free.

The investigators concluded that because the level of activity stimulates the nervous system, this triggers the brain to stop releasing hormones linked to cancer growth, the news source reports.

Matthew During, a researcher from Ohio State University, stated that these findings show that “living in an environment rich with physical, mental and social stimulation might by itself, be what stops the growth of cancer.”

In 2006, more than 139,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with colon cancer, while 53,9191 Americans had developed melanoma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.