Content uploaded by John S. Raglin
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by John S. Raglin on Jun 12, 2018
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
Physical activity, anxiety and anxiety disorders
Abstract and Figures
The purpose of this paper is to present a selective overview of recent research concerning physical activity, anxiety disorders. Introductory information about anxiety and anxiety disorders is presented in the first section. Background information about neurobiology has been emphasized in the first section because of the recent growth in knowledge about neurobiology of anxiety, its potential heuristic value for learning about the extent to which physical activity influences anxiety, and the fact that psychobiology contructs such as anxiety ultimately reflect functioning of the brain. The second section reviews and attempts to integrate into the extant literature selected, recently published investigations concerning the influence of physical activity on anxiety and anxiety disorders. Major conclusions include: (1) that most of the research concerning physical activity and clinical anxiety disordres has involved patients with panic disorder; accordingly, it is recommended that future studies be conducted examining the effects of exercise training on other anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, (2) that not all panic disorder patients phobically avoid physical activity; however, methodological weakness of this work lead to the recommendation that large scale studies with better methods be conducted to provide a conclusive answer as to whether individuals with panic disorder are more sedentary than normal, (3) that acute and chronic exercise is safe for panic disorder patients, (4) that exercise training is associated with a reduction of anxiety symptoms in patients with panic disorder, and (5) that when groups without a clinical anxiety disorder perform an acute exercise bout, post-exercise anxiety reductions are larger than usual if methods are used to minimize the problem of low pre-exercise anxiety scores.
Figures - uploaded by John S. Raglin
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by John S. Raglin
Content may be subject to copyright.
... The anxiolytic effect of physical activity was thoroughly investigated over the years. Depression, as well as anxiety disorders, can be treated by using physical activity and exercise [8]. Improved emotional well-being and decreased risk of developing mood disorders were shown to be related to regular physical activity [9]. ...
... Exercising during PA classes has helped students forget about daily stressors and has enabled them to fulfil academic requirements [21]. After four years of performing physical activity on a regular basis, a sample of 2,548 adolescents and young adults had considerably lower incidence of mental disorders [22], [8]. In trained individuals (elite and amateur sportsmen), the autonomic nervous system was shown to have reduced reactivity to psychosocial stress. ...
Physical activity and stress are reciprocally related. The scientific community acknowledged long ago that regular physical activity positively influences the physiological and psychological well-being. The purpose of this study was to establish if there is a correlation between self-reported physical activity and self-reported stress levels in the case of Romanian university students. The participants were recruited from the students enrolled at the Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. They filled in a 10 items questionnaire in order to evaluate their stress level (Stress evaluation questionnaire-CICR-after Petru Derevenco). The self-reported physical activity level was calculated according to Physical Activity Index. Mean Physical Activity Index was 37.76 ± 25.55 (evaluated as not good enough or poor), and mean stress level was 15.82 ± 2.84 (evaluated as light to moderate stress condition). No statistically significant relation was found between self-reported physical activity and stress levels. Other studies performed on college students have reached the same conclusion. Although the results of the present study suggest that there is no relationship between self-reported physical activity and stress levels in the case of students enrolled at the Babeș-Bolyai University, most likely due to the fact that both variables were subjectively assessed, one must not underestimate the documented positive effects of regular physical activity on stress management.
... Students stayed at home, without walking to and from school, without going 18 in and out of the classroom, without Physical Education, without recess (Dunton et al., 2020; Roe et al., 19 2021) and without any after-school sports programs (Roe et al., 2021;Schmidt et al., 2020). For 20 thousands of students, it was not only their learning that was interrupted; they also lost the opportunity to (Ströhle, 2009) . 3 In fact, the importance of physical activity was acknowledged by a number of countries during the 4 pandemic as it was one of the few exceptions for people to leave their homes (Wright et al., 2021). ...
Schools play an important role in promoting physical activity among students. This paper studies the perception of educators, students, and parents about the use of online physically active academic lessons during COVID-19 in the north of Chile. Starting the first week of November 2020, and for a period of five weeks, 323 students, alongside 11 educators, practiced a geometry-based dance routine online. The qualitative analysis results reveal a positive perception of the experience and an increase in physical activity without reducing the amount of time spent on academic activities. There were also improvements in learning, social relationships, and enjoyment.
... Second, such benefits are more pronounced for chronic disease patients, as these patients are associated with an increased risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality (Sallis & Pratt, 2020). Third, physical activity improves mental health during stressful events and crises (O'Connor, Raglin, & Martinsen, 2000;Powell et al., 2019;Ströhle, 2009). Therefore, experts believe that maintaining regular physical activity could also mitigate the potential mental stress caused by the pandemic (Sallis & Pratt, 2020). ...
Various social distancing measures carried out in many cities worldwide during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19). These measures have led to decreased physical activity levels and higher health risks among urban populations. Strong evidence has been established that built environment characteristics can stimulate physical activity and thus improve public health during non-pandemic periods. Urban density was arguably one of the most important built environment characteristics. however, little is known about whether high urban density amplifies or attenuates the decline in physical activity during the pandemic. Based on two-wave physical activity data collected before and during the pandemic (in January and May 2020 respectively), we used moderation analysis to compare the changes in physical activity levels between people living in low- and high-density neighborhoods. Our results showed that people living in low-density areas have smaller decrease in physical activity conducted in neighborhood, compared to those living in high-density areas. Our findings suggest that a flexible and porous urban development strategy could enhance the resilience of a city during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
... Its onset is sudden and unexpected, without any triggering stimulus. In addition, by dealing with the unusual situation of panic, the body is subjected to symptoms such as tension, sweating, palpitations, pupillary dilation, and shortness of breath [21,22]. ...
Background:
Neural cells undergo functional or sensory loss due to neurological disorders. In addition to environmental or genetic factors, oxidative stress is a major contributor to neurodegeneration. In this context, there has been a growing interest in investigating the effects of essential oils (EOs) in recent years, especially in the treatment of neuropathologies. The chemical and biological effects of EOs have led to important treatment tools for the management of various neurological disorders.
Objective:
In the present study we performed a systematic review that sought to comprehend the neuroprotective effects of different EOs.
Method:
This work is a systematic review where an electronic search was performed on PubMed, Science direct, Cochrane Library and SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) databases, covering the last 10 years, using "Essential oil" and "Neuroprotective effect" as reference terms.
Results:
A total of 9 articles were identified, in which the efficacy of EOs was described in experimental models of anxiety, dementia, oxidative stress, cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer's disease and oxidative toxicity.
Conclusion:
EOs from different species of medicinal plants have shown positive responses in neurological disorders such as anxiety, dementia, oxidative stress, cerebral ischemia and oxidative toxicity. Thus, EOs emerges with the potential to be used as alternative agents in the treatment of neurological disorders.
... While there may be a range of social and genetic determinants of mental health disorders (Cross-Disorder Group 2013;WHO 2014), being physically active may have positive benefits and help improve the health of young people and adults with severe and enduring mental health conditions (Ströhle 2009). Based on secondary analysis of available data, physical activity has been shown to be potentially as e ective as many drug interventions (e.g. ...
... Al respecto, las revisiones sistemáticas han demostrado que la actividad física está asociada con una mayor salud mental y un menor riesgo de mala salud mental, específicamente depresión y ansiedad 5 . Otros estudios transversales han asociado sistemáticamente los altos niveles de actividad física habitual auto-informados con una mejor salud mental y han descrito una correlación entre el nivel de ejercicio habitual y la depresión leve (pero no la ansiedad) en adolescentes y personas mayores 6 . Asimismo, algunos autores hacen referencia a tres grandes estudios transversales, los cuales establecen que la actividad física es una estrategia que se recomienda a menudo para personas con enfermedades mentales, puesto que existe una fuerte relación entre la participación en actividades físicas con la salud mental 7 . ...
Objective: The main objective of this article is to answer the questions that are inferred about physical activity as a complementary therapy for people with mental health diseases.Methodology: This research article corresponds to a non-systematic narrative review, focused on the literature published in English during 2019 until September of this year. The search strategy was the selection of research in the databases: Pubmed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar, using the keywords: Physical Activity and Mental Health; Exercise and Mental Health; Mental Illness and Exercise. In total the author selected a total of 23 studies.Results: Sufficient evidence was found about the benefits of physical activity and exercise as protective factors for noncommunicable diseases that are part of the non-pharmacological treatment of these diseases.Conclusion: The integration of physical exercise into mental health care could improve recovery rates and reduce the burden of disease andcould also allow more patients to reach and eliminate the workload of health professionals more quickly.
... In these studies, less physical activity, less exercise, and resting were typical symptoms of clinically depressive disorders [2,5]. Research has also demonstrated that greater regular exercise and physical activities have a positive effect on reducing mood disorders and anxiety symptoms [57]. In the present study, the resting feature on the smartphone assessed the participants' activity levels throughout the day. ...
Tesis doctoral Universidad de Ciencias de la Cultura Física Manuel Fajardo, La Habana
La littérature concernant l’obésité semble apporter de nombreuses connaissances quant à la mise en œuvre des dispositifs de lutte contre l’obésité mais également dans celle de la pratique d’activité physique (AP). Cependant, certains éléments comme les modalités de structuration de l’AP restent encore à approfondir. Ces travaux de recherche menés sous forme de recherche-action font appel à la fois aux données de terrain mais aussi à celles de la littérature. Complétés par un encadrement pluridisciplinaire en sciences de la vie et sciences humaines, pour répondre au caractère multidimensionnel de l’obésité, l’ensemble de cette organisation en fait son originalité.Cette recherche permet de mesurer les bénéfices d’un dispositif de terrain expérimental construit en ayant pris en compte à la fois les préconisations ou recommandations des politiques publiques (Programme National Nutrition Santé ou encore Plan Obésité) ainsi que celles émanant de la littérature. Nous nous sommes plus particulièrement intéressés aux bénéfices liés aux paramètres morphologiques des personnes puis nous avons aussi noté les changements opérés dans le profil d’activité physique et des comportements sédentaires. Enfin, nous avons tenté de comprendre les éléments semblant interférer ou au contraire aider le processus de perte de poids, à travers l'étude des interactions entre les variables d'activité physique, anthropométriques, de qualité de vie et de bien-être psychologique dans le cadre du programme d'AP proposé au long cours, mais aussi l'effet de la perte de poids et de la modification du profil d'activité sur la qualité de vie et le bien-être psychologique des participantes.Ces travaux de recherche ont permis d’apporter des éléments quant à la mise en œuvre pour la prise en charge de ce public atteint d’obésité en mettant à disposition des professionnels du secteur de nombreuses connaissances scientifiques et pratiques. Ils démontrent également l’intérêt et la complémentarité de la recherche de terrain
The purpose of this review is to define physiological indices of overtraining, examine psychological factors involved with youth sports, and suggest corrective alternatives for coaches to avoid overtraining of youth athletes. Overtraining is common among athletes. Incremental stages of overtraining of youth athletes include (a) overreaching, (b) overtraining, (c) staleness, (d) burnout, and (e) injury/withdrawal. The body of literature which addressed overtraining has been primarily physiological. Physiological systems affected by overtraining have been both parasympathetic and sympathetic processes. However. the consistency of these findings have been suspect and difficult to differentiate from normal training response. Identification of psychological factors, however, have been more consistent with a large body of investigation using psychometric instruments such as the Profile of Mood States. Psychological factors which effect overtraining include stressand susceptible personality characteristics. Overtraining may be avoided by providing a clear system of rewards and scheduling. Periodization training schedules, implementing psychological testing, and monitoring dietary intake can reduce the potential for overtraining. These suggestions require careful consideration by coaches for useful applications within their own sport situation. Often coaches have limited time and/or finances to implement elaborate screening and prevention programs. However, the syndromes associated with chronic training can cause lack of enjoyment for the participants and a failure to achieve desired effects for coaches. With increased awareness of these issues, a coach can provide a structured sport program that enhances the total sports experience of young athletes.
This article aims to introduce exercise psychologists to a psychobiological approach to the study of human emotion and to stimulate research concerning the effects of exercise on the emotions. Distinctions are made between the measurement of emotional responses and the measurement of emotion-related constructs, such as mood. A contemporary view of the motivational basis of emotion is described which has characterized all emotions as variations in orthogonal dimensions of affective valence and arousal. Techniques employed to measure emotional responses, such as electroencephalographic and electromyographic indices of emotion, as well as measures of facial expression, are briefly discussed. Early research is then described that has examined provoked aggressive responses after brief moderately intense cycling exercise, as well as more recent studies that have employed psychophysiological indices of emotion-related constructs before and after sustained bouts of exercise. Researchers are urged to make clear distinctions regarding the perception of emotional stimuli, the experience of emotion, the expression of emotion, and most importantly, to distinguish these features of emotion from other emotion-related constructs such as mood.
Ninety-two nonpsychotic inpatients took part in an exploratory study to assess the therapeutic effect of aerobic exercise intervention. All patients were hospitalized for 8 weeks and took part in aerobic exercise for at least 1 h five times a week. Degree of general mental distress was measured by the Symptom Rating Test (SRT); physical work capacity (PWC) was calculated from a submaximal bicycle ergometer test. Three patients dropped out. In every diagnostic category there was significant increase in PWC. Patients with alcohol abuse or dependence had the greatest reductions in symptom scores at the hospital, followed by those with unipolar depressive and anxiety disorders. Eighty-four per cent responded to a 1-year follow-up investigation by mailed questionnaires. The best long-term outcome was found in patients with alcohol abuse and dependence and unipolar depressive disorders. Sixty-five per cent of respondents exercised regularly, and regular exercise habits were most strongly associated with low SRT scores at follow-up. Patients retrospectively ranked physical exercise as the most important component in the treatment programme. Two admission variables seemed particularly well suited to predict long-term treatment response: no previous psychiatric treatment and previous adult experience with exercise or sports. Patients with at least one of these variables were on the average doing well at follow-up.
Several clinical studies suggest antidepressive and anxiolytic effects of regular aerobic exercise. To study the effects of exercise on central serotonergic receptor sensitivity, we performed neuroendocrine challenges using oral doses of meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP, 0.4 mg/kg), ipsapirone (0.3 mg/kg) and placebo in 12 marathon runners and 12 healthy controls not practicing regular exercise. After administration of the nonselective serotonergic agonist m-CPP, which exerts a number of well-reproducible effects mainly by means of its action on 5-HT2C receptors, marathon runners showed a significantly reduced cortisol response in comparison to the control group. There was also a statistical trend toward a blunted prolactin response after m-CPP in the athlete group. In contrast, the increase of cortisol and the hypothermia observed after administration of the 5-HT1A agonist ipsapirone were of the same magnitude in both groups. The behavioral response to m-CPP or ipsapirone and the mean maximal increases of plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline did not differ between the marathon and the control group. In conclusion, exercise-induced downregulation of 5-HT2C receptors could play an important role in mediating the anxiolytic and antidepressive effects of exercise.
Reviews research evidence on the effect of acute exercise on anxiety level and concludes that vigorous physical activity is clearly associated with a reduction of anxiety as measured by psychometric, biochemical, and neurophysiological means. However, association must not be equated to causation; research findings are reviewed that indicate that deep-rest-only groups manifest a quantitatively similar degree of anxiety amelioration. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Examines the nature, causes, and consequences of burnout within a cognitive-affective model of stress and describes the parallel situational, cognitive, physiologic, and behavioral components of stress and burnout. J. W. Thibaut and H. H. Kelley's (1959) social exchange model is used to define the conditions under which withdrawal from a sport can be attributed to burnout. Empirical findings concerning the causes and consequences of burnout derived from nonathletic populations are incorporated within the athletic burnout model, and its implications for preventing and coping with burnout are discussed. Conceptual and methodological issues are discussed, including operationalizing and measuring athletic burnout, the need for epidemiological research, and the assessment of causal and moderator variables. Based on the literature on burnout in nonsport environments and the literature on sources and consequences of athletic stress, some testable hypotheses are advanced. (47 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)