Healthy Mood Lifestyle  Mood & Exercise

Exercise May Chase Away The Blues

Exercise can indeed boost people's moods, but they may have to begin somewhat depressed to feel the effects, findings from a UK study suggest. Researchers found that an hour of aerobics reduced tension, anger and fatigue among their study participants, with the benefit being significantly greater among those who felt depressed before the exercise bout.

A number of studies have shown that exercise can lift a person's spirits, and there is even evidence that physical activity can aid in treating clinical depression. This study focused on "depressed mood," rather than clinical depression.

According to the study's authors, research demonstrates that different types and intensities of exercise have varying effects on individuals' moods. They sought to find out how pre-exercise mood factors in; and hypothesized that for people who are feeling low, just completing an exercise session might bring a sense of achievement.

The researchers studied 80 young men and women who volunteered to take mood tests just before and after an hour-long aerobics class. The investigators determined that 52 volunteers were in depressed moods before the exercise, while 28 were not, they report in the December issue of the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness.

After exercise, the depressed-mood group was significantly more likely to report a reduction in anger, fatigue and tension, as well as increased vigor, the report indicates.

Source: Reuters