Feeling Good after Exercise Lasts Longer than Expected

Feel-good afterglow from a workout may last far beyond the hour or so that has been previously assumed, says research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine.

"Moderate intensity aerobic exercise improves mood immediately and those improvements can last up to 12 hours," concludes study lead researcher Jeremy Sibold, Ed.D., at the University of Vermont, Burlington.

Other studies have found a mood-boosting effect to exercise. But the other research had not tracked the effect for as long as Dr. Sibold and his team did.

"This is one of the few studies that actually looked at a much longer window [of] 24 hours," he says. "The question I was interested in was, 'How long does that feel-good effect, that improvement, last?'"

Mood Survey Shows Reduced Stress

To find out, Dr. Sibold and co-author Kathy Berg randomly assigned 48 healthy men and women to a control group that did not exercise, or to a group that did exercise.

The study participants ranged from ages 18 to 25. At the start of the study, all participants completed a standard survey of mood. Next, the exercise group rode on a stationary bike for 20 minutes at moderate intensity.

All participants then repeated the mood survey at one, two, four, eight, 12, and 24 hours after exercising.

The mood of the exercisers was better than that of the sedentary group immediately after the workout and for up to 12 hours later.

"This goes a long way to show that even moderate aerobic exercise has the potential to mitigate the daily stress that results in your mood being disturbed," he says.

Men and women seemed to benefit equally, and the fitness level of the participant did not seem to matter.

Experts believe that exercise's mood-boosting effects are partly due to a rise in levels of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, such as endorphins, in the brain.

The findings point yet again to exercise as a cheap, easily accessible tool against blue moods and even depression, says Dr. Sibold. "I think that's really important for the general public to know - depression is so widespread."

The "dose" of exercise needed to lift mood is not a lot, notes Dr. Sibold. "We aren't talking about a Lance Armstrong workout." A few minutes a day could pay off, he says.

He urges people to pick an activity they enjoy. Gardening, walking, square dancing, or other similar activities can be effective.

Five Days a Week, 30-Minute Sessions

The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines support the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week.

That can be done five days a week in 30-minute sessions, experts suggest.

The new findings, according to Dr. Sibold, should improve the ability of health care professionals to prescribe exercise as a treatment for mood enhancement in healthy people.

The study results came as no surprise to Jennifer Mears, an exercise physiologist and corporate fitness specialist in Colorado Springs, Colo. "There are a lot of other research studies and information out there that would back that up," she said of Dr. Sibold's findings.

What is different and noteworthy about his study, she agrees, is the longer follow-up time.

Always consult your physician for more information.