Forty-eight healthy men and women participated in the study. Half were assigned to a control group that did not exercise, and the other half to an exercise program using a stationary bike for 20 minutes at moderate intensity. Participants recorded their mood on surveys at one, two, four, eight, 12, and 24 hours later.
The mood of the exercise group was better both immediately after the workout and for up to 12 hours later. Men and women benefited equally. "This goes a long way to show that even moderate aerobic exercise has the potential to mitigate the daily stress that results in your mood being disturbed," said lead researcher Dr. Jeremy Sibold, assistant professor of rehabilitation and movement science. The findings were presented this week at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Seattle.
Experts believe that the mood-enhancing effect of exercise is due to the release of endorphins, chemical neurotransmitters stimulated during exercise. Interestingly, the fitness level of the participants didn’t seem to matter – all benefited from improved mood for the rest of the day. And those new to exercise can take heart: “The ‘dose’ of exercise needed to lift mood is not a lot, Sibold said. "We aren't talking about a Lance Armstrong workout." A few minutes a day could pay off, he said. However, experts recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, spread out over several days.
The results point to exercise yet again as a cheap and effective weapon against stress, the blues, and even depression. Additionally, the new findings may improve the ability of health care professionals to prescribe exercise as a treatment for mood enhancement in healthy people.
