The Role of Exercise in Improving Mood
Written by Tommy Crocetti.
Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, not just for physical health, but for mental health as well. Many studies have shown that exercise is proven to heighten one’s mood. A recent study found that, exercise interventions resulted in a significant change in positive mood compared to seated rest (Schmitt et al., 2020). Exercise also heightens one’s mood whether it is daily exercise or sporadic bouts of exercise. Which can be seen in another recent study conducted on inpatient clients found that after just a single bout of exercise, inpatients with mental disorders reported improvements in mood, physical strength, attention, and appreciation of social interaction (Brand et al., 2018). Showing that even small amounts of exercise have been found to heighten mood. So, try taking 30 minutes out of a day or even 30 minutes out of a week to exercise, but either way it should improve your mood.
Skill level/ability to exercise may scare some people away from trying to engage in exercise as a way to better their mental health, however we all have to start somewhere. Furthermore, research has proven that varying skill levels/abilities have produced the same heightened mood effect. A study found that exercise produced an immediate overall improvement in mood, and the effect occurred consistently in four different types of exercise class, including two levels of competence of the same form of aerobic exercise, each with differing physical and mental requirements (Steinberg et al., 1998). Meaning differing skill level/ability has no effect on the positive benefits of exercise, including heightening one’s mood. So, if you’re scared to exercise due to low skill level/ability, then give it a try since any level of exercise can heighten one’s mood.
Overall, exercising is very beneficial for one's physical and mental health, including heightening one's mood. One doesn’t need to be experienced or skilled to engage in exercise, or to experience the positive effect exercise produces on mood. So, if you're mood has been low, then try working out whenever you can. The exercise doesn’t have to be super intense or occur every day, it can be a 15-minute routine or occur every other day, whatever works best for you. Everyone will have a different routine or exercise style that works best for them and their schedule, you just need to find the one the works best for you.
References
Schmitt, A., Wallat, D., Stangier, C., Martin, J. A., Schlesinger, I. U., & Boecker, H. (2020). Effects of fitness level and
exercise intensity on pain and mood responses. European Journal of Pain, 24(3), 568–579. https://doi-org.proxy-
tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1002/ejp.1508
Brand, S., Colledge, F., Ludyga, S., Emmenegger, R., Kalak, N., Sadeghi Bahmani, D., Holsboer-Trachsler, E., Pühse, U.,
& Gerber, M. (2018). Acute bouts of exercising improved mood, rumination and social interaction in inpatients with
mental disorders. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi-org.proxy tu.researchport.umd.ed u/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.
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Steinberg, H., Nicholls, B. R., Sykes, E. A., LeBoutillier, N., Ramlakhan, N., Moss, T. P., & Dewey, A. (1998). Weekly
exercise consistently reinstates positive mood. European Psychologist, 3(4), 271–280. https://doi-org.proxy-
tu.researchport.umd.edu/10.1027/1016-9040.3.4.271
