Do you do endurance sport sometimes just 2 change your mood?

[Gammmmo]

My primary focus for training in any endurance sport I've done in recent years is for performance purposes and racing. I am however guilty sometimes of training simply to change any negative mood I might be in e.g. anxious, pessimistic, and I do it because it works. Invariably I feel like a different person after. Anyone else?

[left coaster]

Gammmo, I study exercise and cognition and am in the final stages of a doctorate on the topic.

There is LOTS of research indicating that exercise regulates mood. In a nutshell, it appears to modulate your mood state i.e. if you're feeling low it brings you up and increases vigor, if stressed and anxious it brings you down and helps us feel calm.

Using exercise to regulate mood states is an excellent strategy for self regulation and a much better choice than maladaptive strategies like drinking or drug use. There is also a bunch of new research indicating that exercise improves cognitive function in schizophrenics which is a nice addition to the absolute flood of solid research linking exercise to healthy cognitive aging.

No need to feel guilty! You have found a solution to mood regulation that millions of others are simply slow to adopt And yes, I use exercise to regulate my mood ALL THE TIME. It also helps me with academic work and when writing long technical papers it seems I row about 5K for every 1000 words I write lol chuckle... I work and study from home and the erg is always close at hand. Lately I've discovered that 15-20 minutes of hard sprints works just as well as 45 minutes of endurance exercise for improving focus and mood.

[ElinViking]

There's nothing at all wrong with exercise to help your mood - as others have pointed out, it can and does help. I've been dealing with quite a lot of depression and anxiety, and one of my goals aside from physical fitness is mental fitness. It can even be a mood-boost to just see your physical health improving, your times getting better, etc... Feeling good about yourself is part of it.

[Anth_F]

I have been seeing CPN's for years to help me with my anxiety and panic attack disorder. Exercise has really helped me much more than all the years of CPN therapy ever did.

I don't find myself experiencing seriously high levels of anxiety like i used to, and worrying about suffering panic attacks that also caused me to worry all night and not be able to sleep (it was a vicious cycle at one point) Stress levels also came way down since exercise also helped me to get to sleep quicker and not worry. "Healthy body = Healthy mind"

Exercise can work miracles if done right and with longevity. Whenever you feel down in the dumps, even just going for a 20-30 minute walk will lift your mood... you don't necessarily need to be jumping into intense workouts.

[Tim K.]

I have been really open about the fact I use exercise to manage ADD/ADHD and anxiety symptoms. I struggled for many years. Got put on drugs with short term limited results. Kick my ass for .5hr in the morning and Im right all day. I have been struggling again for the past couple of months as I dislocated a rib pulling wrenches in a goofy position under a vehicle, then just as that was almost good enough to get back to it, chasing my dog up a set of stairs I slipped and broke a rib on the other side. The last two weeks have been really difficult. Im feeling good enough to get on the elliptical for LSD at around 600cal/hr but that does nothing for my mind. I need to be in the 900-1100/hr for 20-30 min to keep my head right.

[jamesg]

Best not to think about the effects on mood of NOT taking any exercise.

[Gammmmo]

Best not to think about the effects on mood of NOT taking any exercise.

Very true. I used to race bikes in the 1990s and gave up in 1999 for a couple of years because of a variety of reasons including a much better paid but more stressful job. I put on 15kg and got good at drinking beer, but I just felt like there was something missing. It was actually doing some erging in a gym I joined that started me off on sport again. I've always been at my happiest when I have a "sporting project" on the go - generally this has been performance oriented but I also got into mountain biking for a good few years and loved that lifestyle. It's all good.

[G-dub]

I too feel the need for it. Morning to get me motivated and evening to wind down. I find that it settles my mood, gives me a chance, if the intensity is not too high, to work things out mentally or even creatively, and it allows me a tangible accomplishment that I can put in the bank each day.

[JoDon]

I quite agree. There is an abundance of research that shows that exercise elevates your mood. You read a lot about superfoods for your body, and exercise is a superfood for your brain. When you exercise, your body releases serotonin, a hormone that elevates your mood. This creates the "runners high" that many experience. Studies also show many and other positive benefits from exercise, everything from improved memory to lowering stress levels and alleviating depression. The bottom line is that exercise is good for body and mind. So keep it up!!