Physical Exercise and Stress - Term Paper Example

? Physical Exercise and Stress Psychosocial factors which include mood and chronic mental stress have beenacknowledged as determinants of wellbeing and longevity. With physical exercises noted to improve on these factors, it becomes a critical approach in reducing stress and propagating subsequent recovery. Appreciating this functionality, this paper seeks to evaluate the action of physical exercises in curbing stress. Further, it articulates best practices for maximal gains from physical exercises with regards to stress management. Introduction Stress refers to an emotional response. According to Edenfield and Blumenthal (2011), it involves a complex interaction of emotional experiences, metal state and biochemical and physiological adaptations in situations where environmental demands go beyond one’s ability to adapt. Michie (2002) explains how stress is caused using protective psychological mechanisms. Alarm response refers to the physiological arousal in response to a threat of safety. The response would either be flight or fight, but because of their social unacceptability, there arises the need for an alternative way through which to express the resultant physical and emotional energy. The second adaptive mechanism, referred to as adaptation, causes humans to stop responding to the environmental stimuli, particularly on learning that there is no threat to safety. When either of these mechanisms fails or when difficulty arises when switching from one to the other, stress sets in, thus the individuality of stress management approaches. One of the most studied approaches to stress management across board has been participation in physical exercises. Indeed, regular exercise reduces stress intensity and propagates recovery from stress. The physical benefits from exercises have been widely appreciated with abundant epidemiological evidence supporting the association of exercise to physical health and generally, the quality of life. Exercise encompasses participation in varied levels of intensity of regular, structured and physical exertion aimed at increasing muscle strength and/or heart rate. Related to this is physical activity which refers to physical exertion with necessarily no intent of increasing the heart rate. Hoeger and Hoeger (2011) classify exercises into aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic exercises encompass sustained activity where the body needs larger volumes of oxygen used to breakdown fats and glucose to give adenosine triphosphate, ATP that supplies the body with energy. On the contrary, muscles in anaerobic activities use energy from metabolism of muscle glycogen as opposed to reliance on oxygen. This paper seeks to link physical exercise to improved stress management. The Action of Physical Exercise There have been various studies that examine the impact of physical exercises on stress reactivity together with emotional well-being as a whole, but none adequately explains the effect of exercises in reduction of stress and other depressive symptoms. Nonetheless, various psychological and physiological theories have been applied in explaining the effect of exercises in reducing stress. Core to these theories is the adoption of the pathway that antidepressant treatment follows, thus the antidepressant effect of physical exercises. Hoeger and Hoeger (2011) propose the HPA axis model in explaining the antidepressant effect of physical exercises in that stress hormones get secreted to respond to psychological and physical (exercise) stress experience. As such, habitual exercises decrease the amounts of stress hormones that the HPA axis secretes, thus lowering stress reactivity. Thus, physical exercises cause a decline in depressive indications regardless of gender, race or age. As compared to their sedentary counterparts, people who are actively involved in physical exercises exhibit lower tendencies of stress and depression. Edenfield and Blumenthal (2011) cite a study conducted at the Duke University seeking to evaluate the efficacy of exercises in treating depression as compared to antidepressant medication. Indeed, after 16 weeks of observation, the research indicated no difference between those who were treated using antidepressant medication and those who were treated using aerobic exercises. Furthermore, even those who were exposed to both approaches exhibited no remarkable difference. Thus, it was concluded that physical exercises are a viable acceptable, cost-effective and accessible alternative antidepressant treatment. The mood enhancement effect of physical exercises has been prominently acknowledged across the globe for people with high depression levels. This could be explained using the endorphin hypothesis. According to Schoenfeld, Rada, Pieruzzini, Hsueh and Gould (2013), during and after exercises, endogenous opioids such as enkephalins and endorphins get secreted resulting in euphoria, especially among those people who are physically fit. With this regard, physical activities have not only been perceived as beneficial but also enjoyable. However, exposing one to a level of physical activities greater than the habitual level of exercises could impact negatively on the mood of such a person. As such, Edenfield and Blumenthal (2011) particularly support the mood enhancement effect of strenuous physical exercises in a competitive setting. This improvement would be more visible in a situation where one’s mood was poorer before engaging in the exercises. I have unknowingly been practically applying this theory. After a long day in class, I tend to be in bad mood and feel tired because of the day’s stressors. This is particularly vivid during those days near the exam season. To refresh myself and get back to the right mood, I make at least five laps round the field and a few other physical exercises for about an hour. After these exercises and a subsequent shower, my moods improve and my concentration level abounds again. Whereas a majority of studies have focused on the impact of physical activities on depressive symptoms, physical exercise has also been found to be an effective intervention for severe mental illness related to stress. Psychological theories entailing constructs like intrinsic motivation, self-determination and self-efficacy explain the impact of physical exercises in reducing stress. According to Hamer, Endrighi and Poole (2012), people suffering from phobias could be successfully treated by being exposed to exhaustive exercise prior to a phobic stimulus. Additionally, exercises have been noted to reduce anxiety and panic symptoms. Schoenfeld et al. (2013) attribute the reduced anxiety to changes in a plastic region of the brain responsible for regulating anxiety referred to as the hippocampus. Physical activities cause an excitation of neurons in the hippocampal circuitry thus the anxiety. Furthermore, Edenfield and Blumenthal (2011) explain this observation using cognitive theories. According to these scholars, physical exercises cause a benign arousal through phobic stimulus thus hindering the fear of body sensation that is experienced during panicking. As an exposure technique common in cognitive behavioral therapies, exercises induce the feared bodily sensation without severe negative effect, thus minimize anxiety. As such, physical exercises have been appreciated as being beneficial in the treatment of anxiety disorders with no adverse consequences. Moreover, physical exercises have been noted to decrease psychotic hallucinations. Administration of Physical Exercises As indicated, physical activities that prove to be beneficial to an individual’s psychological health should be within the habitual level of exercise of such persons. A review of various research studies by Hamer et al. (2012) reveals no difference with diverse frequencies of exercises. The total energy expenditure serves as the most significant factor in determining the antidepressant effect of physical exercises. No particular exercise has been specifically linked to reduced stress. Hoeger and Hoeger (2011) indicate that participation in any kind of physical activities lowers the risk of psychological distress regardless of factors such as age, gender, BMI, marital status and chronic illness. Even though a majority of studies advocate for aerobic exercises according to Edenfield and Blumenthal (2011), anaerobic exercises, also referred to as strength training, have also been found to be beneficial in stress and mood improvement. Despite the benefits of physical exercises, few people become addicted to this behavior. Compulsive exercisers, as observed by Hoeger and Hoeger (2010), often feel guilty and uncomfortable when they miss out on a day of exercises. They could continue with exercises even when ill or injured. Under such circumstances, physical exercises become biological stressors posing the risk of compromising health and performance. Physical exercises such as aerobics and jogging performed at high levels of intensity or for abnormally long periods could deter the emotional and physical well-being of an individual (Edenfield & Blumenthal, 2011). Among the psychological symptoms that result from overtraining include depression, lower motivation, increased irritability and sleep disturbances. Physiological symptoms include weight loss, decreased appetite, musculoskeletal injuries and increased muscle tension. Conclusion Stress refers to one’s emotional response, either through alarm reaction or adaptation. Even though research indicates difference in response to stress by various individuals, physical exercises have been noted to uniformly improve on stress across age groups, gender and even health conditions. Exercises have been noted to arouse antidepressant effect, enhance mood and intervene in various mental illness related to stress. Physiological theories explain the action of exercises on various body parts, including the brain, to trigger the release of hormones that decrease stress through improvement of one’s moods or reducing anxiety. Psychological theories also attest to positive impact of exercises on stress management. My personal experience further affirms the positive impact of exercises as mood enhancers and hence their role in reducing stress. Despite their positive impact, exercises should be done to the habitual level with caution not to cross into compulsiveness, which would reverse any gains made. Thus, as a form of behavioral activation, physical exercises decrease depressive symptomatology similar to the treatment for stress observed in behavioral activation studies, hence their effectiveness in reducing the intensity of stress and propagating subsequent recovery. References Clay, R. A. (2011, January). Stressed in America. American Psychological Association, 42 (1). Retrieved 11 November 2013 from www.apa.org Edenfield, T. M., & Blumenthal, J. A. (2011). Exercise and stress reduction. In R. J. Contrada & A. Baum (Eds.), The handbook of stress science: Biology, psychology and health (pp. 301 – 320). New York, NY: Springer. Hamer, M., Endrighi, R., & Poole, L. (2012). Physical activity, stress reduction, and mood: Insight into immunological mechanisms. Methods in Molecular Biology, 934 (5), 89 – 102. Hoeger, W. K., & Hoeger, S. A. (2011). Fitness and wellness (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Michie, S. (2002). Causes and management of stress at work. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59 (1), 67 – 72. Schoenfeld, T. J., Rada, P., Pieruzzini, P. R., Hsueh, B. & Gould, E. (2013). Physical exercise prevents stress-induced activation of granule neurons and enhances local inhibitory mechanisms in the dentate gyrus. The Journal of Neuroscience, 33 (18), 7770 -7777. Read More