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Studies have shown that in times of stress, a good physical workout can be one of the best — if not the best — prescriptions for feeling better. But is that all there is to it? Can you just go out and take a long run when you’re feeling stressed and be all better?
Yes and no. Yes, you’ll get some endorphins out of an extra burst of exercise. However, a new study using regular, aerobic exercise as the model shows that stress resilience gets the best boost if you’re already a regular exerciser. “That's because, based on these results, a history of increased exercise doesn't affect the immediate physiological response (like a release of cortisol) during a stressful event,” the study’s authors told Inverse.
The study used mice as the subjects, but based on what they found, the authors said:
- Aerobic exercise (like walking, running, biking, swimming) probably has a greater effect on stress resilience than non-aerobic exercise (like weight lifting).
- Exercise probably needs to be routine; completed a few times a week. Cramming in a HIIT workout or long run right before a stressful event isn't likely to be as helpful as regularly hiking or hitting the elliptical.
SOURCE: Inverse August 31, 2020