Exercise Key To Better Moods, Less Stress For College Students: Study

By Natalie San Luis

Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone. It is especially important for college students and young adults who are under stress.

A recent study looked at college students' exercise habits, the amount of time they spent socializing, their moods, and their stress levels.

The researchers found that students who vigorously exercised for at least 20 minutes a day, three times per week reported better moods and lower stress. Additionally, they claimed that some of the mental benefits of exercise came about as the result of socializing.

The authors of the study said that the research could be used to improve mental health programs for college-aged students by emphasizing the importance of physical activity.

Nicole VanKim, MPH, and Toben Nelson, ScD, both with the Divison of Epidemiology and Community Health in the School of Public Health, University of Minneapolis, conducted the study in order to see the relationship between exercise, stress, mental health, and socializing in students at a four-year college.

Previous research has shown that exercise and physical activity decrease as adolescents become young adults. Consistent physical activity is an important way to reduce the risk of disease and death.

Additionally, transitioning into college can be a stress-inducing time for young adults. The National Comorbidity Survey found that 5.8 percent of young people age 15 to 24 are clinically depressed. According to the authors of the study, the ability to deal with stress is crucial for students to maintain their physical and mental health.

Most of the studies regarding college students, physical activity, and mental health have not shown how factors like socializing could influence a student's stress level.

In order to examine the effect of physical activity and socializing on students' mental health, the researchers used data from the Harvard School of Public Health Study of College Health Behaviors. Ninety-four schools participated in the study.

Students were emailed a survey regarding their health behaviors. About 28 percent, or 14,804 students, completed the survey.

The survey included questions about the frequency of vigorous physical activity for at least 20 minutes at a time. It also asked about the student's general mood, stress level, and amount of time spent socializing.

The researchers found that the students who met or exceeded recommendations for physical activity, by exercising three times per week for at least 20 minutes a day, were less likely to report lower moods and stress. They also spent more time socializing.

Students who reported that they had fewer than five close friends and spent fewer than two hours per day socializing had a higher risk of having lower moods and more stress.

Additionally, they found that students who were more social and exercised three or more times per week reported somewhat better moods and less stress than students who exercised with similar frequency but were less social. The researchers concluded that part of the benefit that frequent physical activity has on mood and stress relies on social interactions.

According to the researchers, the findings could be used to suggest that mental health programs for college students should promote physical activity. Additionally, some of the benefits of exercise are the result of socializing.

"Engaging in physical activity and socializing were both linked to better mental health and lower stress among college students," said Nicole VanKim, one of the authors, in an email. "Mental health and stress are important health issues for college students, especially with regard to academic success. Our findings suggest that physical activity, socializing, and mental health are important areas to incorporate into health services for college students."

The article was published in the American Journal of Health Promotion ^[4] in September.

The authors did not disclose any funding sources or conflicts of interest.

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It Staves Off Cravings

In the course of a <a href="http://news.health.com/2012/09/18/exercise-curbs-appetite/">Brigham Young University study</a>, 18 normal-weighted and 17 clinically obese women were followed for two full days. On the first day, they exercised for 45 minutes, walking briskly on a treadmill, and then looked at 240 photographs, 120 of which were food (the other 120 were a control: flowers). The researchers then tracked the women's food intake and activity level for the rest of the day. On the second day, one week later, the women were shown the images without the workout. Again their food and exercise choices were tracked. Researchers found that both the obese women and the women at a healthy weight had a lower brain response to the images of food and moved around more following the 45 minute morning workout.

It Frees Up Your Day

This is an obvious one, but getting your workout in before work means that you'll be up for impromptu happy hour or dinner plans. No more "I can't, I have spinning" for you!

It Helps You Stick To It

What's more, getting your workout out of the way first means you'll actually do it. "If you work out before your day distracts you, your chances of exercising regularly go way up," Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise <a href="http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/morning-workout">told <em>Women's Health</em></a>.

It Ups Your Energy

When you exercise, the effort helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients to muscles, organs and other tissues. And that means your whole cardiovascular system will work more efficiently, <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676" target="_hplink">upping your energy</a>, according to the Mayo Clinic.

It Jump Starts Your Brain

Exercise has both short-term and <a href="http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/ExerciseFitness/17907">long-term</a> brain benefits. Research shows that the short-term benefits<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19276839"> include better executive function and memory recall</a>. That brain boost means that a morning workout <em>could</em> take the place of a caffeine fix.