You probably already know that overall, exercise is a mood booster. It’s linked to an increased production of “feel-good” brain chemicals like endorphins and serotonin
But new research published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinologyhas found that the type of workout we choose might affect the way we feel afterwards
Their study, which involved 88 participants, sought to find out how aerobic exercise (like running and walking) compared to mind-body exercises (like yoga and Tai Chi) when it comes to our moods
It’s partly about “exerkines”
Previous research has shown that working out leads to the production of signal-generating “exerkines”, including endocannabinoids and a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Endocannabinoids help us manage pain and stress, while BDNF supports our mind’s health and growth. The latter has been compared to “fertiliser for the brain”, and both have been associated with the good mood many feel after a good gym session
We knew that sweating during pulse-raising aerobic exercise, like cycling, can boost these exerkines. The higher the intensity, some studies say, the more of the molecules we get
This study wanted to find out whether lower-intensity, mind-body exercises might have similar effects, too
They also wanted to measure how both forms of exercise affected people’s “state affect”, or how they emotionally felt afterwards
So, they split participants into two groups: an aerobic group, who completed two 30-minute sessions on stationary bikes, and a mind-body group, who followed a pair of half-hour-long yoga and breathing classes
Both groups had a higher-intensity and lower-intensity class
Before and after their exercises, the researchers asked them how they felt to measure their state affect. They tested their blood throughout to look for exerkine levels too
How did different workouts affect their mood?
Only higher-intensity cycling classes led to an increase in one type of endocannabinoid
And the workout type didn’t seem to affect BDNF, either
So far as state affect went, all four groups felt better after the sessions – they experienced less negative emotion and anxiety
But when it came to positive emotions, results differed. Moderate cycling and higher- and lower-intensity mind-body classes all led to more positive emotions
Low-intensity cycling classes didn’t lead to that change, though
“These findings implicate cardiovascular intensity in the endocannabinoid response to exercise, while diverse forms of acute exercise are associated with short-term affective benefits,” the study concluded
