When some people are cut off in traffic or get into a fight with their partner, they seem to handle it like it’s no big deal, while others seem to spiral into full-blown anxiety or even rage. New research suggests that the difference may have a lot to do with how often they hit the gym. In addition to helping improve heart health and lowering the risk of cancer, a new study finds another benefit of exercise may be helping you stay calm in stressful situations.
Researchers at Brazil’s Federal University of Goiás divided 40 healthy adults into two groups: above-average and below-average fitness levels.
- They showed all of them neutral images of everyday things and disturbing images designed to trigger stress, like violent scenes and accident footage. Then they measured how each group’s emotions changed.
- Both groups felt tense after seeing the unsettling stuff, but those with above-average fitness remained calm and had lower levels of anxiety and anger.
- The below-average group didn’t respond as well, showing significantly bigger spikes in anger and anxiety. They had a 775% higher risk of hitting high anxiety levels and less anger control. The less fit a participant was, the more likely they were to act on their anger after seeing the upsetting images.
So, why did those in better physical shape experience less stress and not get as upset? Researchers believe it all comes down to discipline. Working out regularly helps your body and brain get better at managing stress and you calm down faster under pressure. Exercise not only releases feel-food chemicals like endorphins and dopamine, it helps build emotional resilience, too.
Source: NY Post
Scott's Thoughts:
- Feeling less anxious and angry under pressure may be enough to actually get me to the gym!
- I get this. While it takes all the energy I can find to get myself into the gym, I always feel better afterwards.
- Staying calm instead of being angry sounds like a great idea, in theory.