Relation of low and moderate intensity exercise with acute mood change in college joggers.

This study investigated a possible relationship between exercise intensity and mood alteration that commonly is associated with physical activity. 91 college students completed the Profile of Mood States before and after 20 min. of jogging at three intensities: 55%, 75%, and 79% of age-adjusted maximum heart rate on different occasions. Exercisers also completed a demographic inventory, a Lie Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Contrary to our expectations, the interaction between exercise intensity and pre-post mood benefits was not significant. Supporting the manipulation of exercise intensity, the univariate interaction between exercise intensity and pre-post exercise scores on Fatigue was significant. Joggers reported short-term mood benefits on the combined subscales of the Profile of Mood States, and each subscale contributed to the benefits. Thus, regardless of the low- or moderate-intensity, participants reported that they "felt better" after exercising.

Relationship of swimming distance, expectancy, and performance to mood states of competitive athletes.

This study focused on the relationship between normal and abbreviated training sessions for young competitive swimmers and acute changes in mood. Several potential moderators of the relationship between exercise and mood also were examined. 25 girls and 23 boys, swimmers between the ages of 12 and 25 years, completed a shortened version of the Profile of Mood States before and after normal-distance and taper practices. An hypothesized interaction between distance training and acute changes in scores on Total Mood Disturbances was significant. During normal-distance practices, scores on Mood Disturbance increased from pre- to postpractice. Analyses of the individual subscales indicated that swimmers" scores increased for Fatigue and decreased for Vigor. In abbreviated practice sessions, athlete's scores on Total mood Disturbance showed no change from pre- to postpractice. The specific subscales, however, showed positive changes for Depression, Confusion, and Tension. The mood changes related to practice distance were not influenced by the possible moderating factors of expectancy or performance times. Thus, even for highly trained competitive swimmers, exercising at or near maximal physical capability is associated with few positive changes in mood scores. Shorter-distance swims that do not tax endurance are preferable, if mood enhancement is a goal.

Mood alteration with yoga and swimming: aerobic exercise may not be necessary.

The mood benefits of Hatha yoga and swimming, two activities that differ greatly in aerobic training benefits, were examined. College students (N = 87) in two swimming classes, a yoga class, and a lecture-control class completed mood and personality inventories before and after class on three occasions. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that both yoga participants (n = 22) and swimmers (n = 37) reported greater decreases in scores on Anget, Confusion, Tension, and Depression than did the control students (n = 28). The consistent mood benefits of yoga supported our earlier observation that the exercise need not be aerobic to be associated with mood enhancement. However, underlying and causal mechanisms remain uncertain. Among the men, the acute decreases in Tension, Fatigue, and Anger after yoga were significantly greater than those after swimming. Yoga may be even more beneficial than swimming for men who personally select to participate. The women reported fairly similar mood benefits after swimming and yoga. It seems that aerobic exercise may not be necessary to facilitate the mood benefits. Also, students with greater mood changes attended class more regularly than those who reported fewer psychological benefits. Maximizing the immediate psychological benefits of exercise might be one way to encourage adults to be physically active.

Mood alteration with swimming--swimmers really do "feel better".

This study illustrated the relationship between swimming, an aerobic activity, and mood. One hundred college students, voluntarily enrolled in beginning or intermediate swimming classes or in lecture-control classes, completed the POMS before and after class. Results of a 5-way ANOVA confirmed that, as predicted, swimmers reported significantly less tension, depression, anger, confusion, and more vigor after exercising than before. Both novice and intermediate swimmers changed significantly more than did controls on all scales except fatigue, while none of the controls' pre-, post-instruction mood changes were significant. The results have implications, similar to those with running, for use in psychotherapy. Despite different social connotations of exercise for women and men, there were no gender differences in the amount of mood change associated with swimming. However, in direct contradiction of existing literature, the women reported significantly less tension-anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion than the men.

Effects of running and of an exercise class on anxiety.

11 young adult men and 9 women in a running group, an organized exercise class (2 men and 10 women) and a group eating lunch at a YMHA (6 men and 4 women) were assessed as to pre- and post-State anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The three groups showed significant decreases in anxiety after the activity. This suggests that diversionary as well as causal influences may have been operative or an effect of testing.