Improvement of affect following exercise: methodological artifact or real finding?

The purpose of this study was to examine the "sense of relief" effect as a potential explanation for improvement of affect following exercise. The current study included male and female participants, four exercise/expectancy conditions, and assessed six dimensions of affective space. Participants were 134 undergraduates. Heart rate and affect were assessed four times: upon entering the lab, after disclosure of assigned experimental condition, immediately after exercise, and 15-min post exercise. An examination of differences between initial measures and measures taken after disclosure of condition revealed significant changes in feelings of anxiety, calmness, and tiredness, as well as heart rate. No gender differences were observed. The results support the existence of a "sense of relief" effect, but the effect is more pronounced for physiological arousal as opposed to affect.