Acute Physical Exercise Reduces Mental Stress-Induced Responses in Teachers

This study assessed the correlation between obesity markers and mental stress reactivity. Mainly, it evaluated whether physical exercise (PE) influences cardiovascular reactivity to the Stroop color word test (SCWT) in teachers. Thirty-one school teachers were evaluated. The SCWT was carried out under (1) baseline and (2) 30 min after aerobic PE conditions. Teachers performed 30 min of PE. The reactivity to mental stress (Δ) during the SCWT for blood pressure (BP) was determined, with Δ being the highest value observed [Δ2 or Δ4: with pre-test values (0 min)]. Of the teachers, 64.52% were considered overweight/obese and 19.35% had a high clinical BP. However, 67.74% of teachers were considered physically active. Systolic BP (SBP) reactivity to SCWT correlated negatively with obesity markers (Rho = -0.36 to -0.60; p < 0.05). The SBP and diastolic BP (DBP) were higher at 2 and 4 min compared to 0 during the SCWT under both conditions (p < 0.01). Moreover, SBP was always lower after PE (p < 0.01) and DBP was lower at 2 and 4 min after PE (p < 0.01). In summary, SBP reactivity to mental stress correlated negatively with obesity markers. Moderate-intensity acute PE reduced BP reactivity to mental stress in teachers.