How Does Exercise Influence Mood and Mental Wellbeing?

We all know that exercise is beneficial to our physical health with regular moderate exercise helping reducing morbidity and mortality rates in all ages, sexes, genders, races and body types to even improving sleep and cognition. However, physical activity also plays a huge role in the mood of individuals and enhances psychological wellbeing, protecting against feelings of distress, symptoms of anxiety and depression and delaying the effects of dementia associated with aging.

After being analysed using a variety of different surveys including the Profile of Mood States (a self-reported questionnaire that measures tension, depression, anger, tiredness, confusion and overall mood disturbance) and the Positive and Negative Affects Scale (PNAS) acute exercise has been named one of the most efficient behaviours in the self-regulation of mood in healthier populations. 

These investigations found that exercising supports feeling in positive mood with the effects being seen immediately after exercising up to 1 day post "workout" with the mood areas being most impacted by sessions of acute exercise being decreases in tension, depression, anger, and confusion. In a large sample studied in the US, physical activity was notably and meaningfully linked to peoples self-reported mental health problems. All types of exercise were associated with a reduction in mental health burden however team sports, cycling and gym attendance showed with the largest decreases in mental health burden in conjunction with an exercising frequency of 45 minutes 3-5 times a week. Individuals who were matched In multiple physical and sociodemographic factors had 43.2% fewer days of poorer mental health over the month if they exercised in comparison to those who didn't. 

In addition various studies have revealed that exercise does in fact help relieve and prevent symptoms of mood and mental health disorders including anxiety, PTSD, schizophrenia and depression, including a recent study done by Harvard T.H Chan school of mental health which found that running for 15 minutes or walking for an hour per day decreases the chances of major depression by 26% and additionally maintaining an exercise routine can prevent relapse.