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Effect of exercise intensity on mood in step aerobics
1Department of Human Performance and Health Promotion, University of New Orleans, LA, USA.
The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
|January 4, 1998
Summary
Aerobic exercise, regardless of intensity, improves mood by reducing negative feelings and increasing vigor. High-intensity exercise further decreased fatigue and anger compared to low-intensity exercise.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Psychology
- Mood Research
Background:
- Transient mood states are influenced by physical activity.
- Understanding the impact of exercise intensity on mood is crucial for public health.
- Aerobic exercise is a widely accessible form of physical activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of aerobic exercise intensity on transient mood states.
- To compare the impact of high-intensity versus low-intensity exercise on mood.
- To analyze changes in specific mood dimensions following exercise.
Main Methods:
- A pretest-post-test design was used with 42 healthy adult volunteers.
- Participants were assigned to either low-intensity (<60% max heart rate) or high-intensity (>75% max heart rate) aerobic exercise.
- Mood was assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) inventory before and after a 50-minute bench-stepping routine.
Main Results:
- Both high-intensity and low-intensity exercise led to decreased tension, depression, fatigue, and anger.
- Vigor increased in both exercise intensity conditions.
- High-intensity exercise resulted in significantly lower reported fatigue and anger compared to low-intensity exercise.
Conclusions:
- Aerobic exercise positively impacts transient mood states across different intensities.
- High-intensity aerobic exercise may offer additional mood benefits, specifically reducing fatigue and anger.
- These findings support the role of exercise intensity in modulating psychological well-being.