Fit and Happy

Catherine O’Brien

Fit and Happy

Growing up, my mother always encouraged me and my three siblings to “run it out” to help cope with our emotions. Whether it be a bad test grade, a fight with a friend or anxiety about an upcoming game, running was always prescription #1. I feel fortunate to have learned this life hack so early on and am eager to recommend it to anyone who will listen. In my adult life, running has continued to be an outlet and my weekly runs help me deal with stress, anxiety and frustration.

It is almost as if I learned the mental benefits of running before I understood the physical benefits of running. I imagine this way of viewing running is rather unique as most people get into running as a means of staying healthy and reap the mental benefits as a bonus. This perspective motivates me to keep running but also allows me to enjoy running whether I am racing competitively or taking it easy.

Related Article: Become A Runner At Any Age

Thanks to extensive research in the space, we now have more than just anecdotal evidence supporting the use of aerobic exercise to modulate moods. While it is clear I am an advocate for aerobic exercise as a means of improving one’s mood, I am excited to discuss research findings that demonstrate how resistance training can be equally effective as aerobic exercise and how combining aerobic and strength training can be a winning combination in mood management.

Research conducted by Chase and Hutchinson (2015) examined the effects of acute aerobic exercise versus resistance exercise on mood state. They utilized the Profile of Mood States-Short Form questionnaire to assess mood states including tension, anger, fatigue, depression and confusion. Participants were assigned to either resistance training or aerobic exercise training with both groups engaging in the same warm up and cool down stretches.

The resistance exercises included bench press, back squat, Romanian dead lift, bent over barbell row and plank. The aerobic exercise consisted of brisk walking at an incline on a treadmill at 61% maximal HR. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a single bout of exercise on mood state. Researchers administered the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMS-SF) questionnaire before and after the exercises. Across both the resistance and aerobic exercise groups, pre-test levels of tension, anger, fatigue, depression and confusion were higher than that of post-exercise. Interestingly, resistance exercise had a larger effect on tension, depression, vigor, and confusion in comparison to aerobic exercise.

Related Article: Can Resistance Training Build Brain and Brawn?

While this is just one small study, O’Connor et al. synthesized a rather extensive review of work in this area (Mental Health Benefits of Strength Training in Adults, 2009) and discuss the research on resistance training and the associated mental health benefits. In much of the work cited, the repeated theme is one of combination. That is, for optimal results concerning improving cognitive function and remediating depressive symptoms, aerobic exercise plus resistance exercise seems to lead to the greatest outcome. O’Connor cites research from Mead et al’s review on Exercise for Depression (2009). The below figure is adapted from the research of Mead et al. (2009) and demonstrates the idea that combination is key in improving depressive symptoms.

I am excited about this research and the implications for future research. As an avid exerciser, these findings motivate me to continue doing the workouts I love and explore new workouts outside of running. The aspiring psychologist in me is enthusiastic about this research because it provides more support (outside of my own anecdotal evidence) that exercise can be a prescription. Furthermore, a variety of types of exercise can act as a prescription. So, if running isn’t for you, there are many other ways to reap the emotional benefits of exercise.

Related Article: Exercise – The Foundation of Youth

References

Mead GE, Morley W, Campbell P, Greig CA, McMurdo M, Lawlor DA. (2009) Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009;(3):CD004366.

O’Connor, P. J.., Herring, M.P, Caravalho, A. (2009) Mental health benefits of strength training in adults. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 4 (5), 377-396.

Chase, R., Hutchinson, J. (2015) The effects of acute aerobic exercise versus resistance exercise on mood state. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 7(2), 5-16.

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