Exercise,stress and anxiety Flashcards
Definition of stress
Stress is a state of physical/psychological challenge/imbalance (eustress/distress)
Definition of a stressor
Stressor is an external or internal stimulus causing challenge (acute,chronic, distant)
Definition of stress response
Stress response is a psycho-physiological reaction that helps body/mind adapt and restore balance
Surgeons general report on stress and mental health for adults (2000) major life stresses for adults?
Break ups, deaths, moving, poverty, prejudice, poor health, injury
Ross et al (1999) major life stresses for students?
change in sleeping/eating habits, holiday work, new responsibilities, workload, finance, computers, poor grades
Fight or flight defined by Cannon (1915)
- Adaptive evolutionary response
- raised heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, sweating, flushing, dry mouth, pupil dilation
- hyper vigilance, narrowing focus, impulsivity
- hyperactivity, habitual activity, aggression, sleep-loss, withdrawal
General adaptation syndrome is
- stress occurs
- alarm phase (worse state)
- resistance (improvement)
- exhaustion (regression)
Stress related illness physical symptoms?
- Immunodefiency
- Diabetes/heart disease
- Cancer
- Infertility
- Osteoporosis
Stress related illness psycho-behavioral symptoms?
- Depression and anxiety
- Eating disorder
- alcohol/drug dependency
- suicide
Aldana et al (1996) reported
Active adults (>3kcal/kg-1day-1) report less high (62%) and moderate (78%) stress
Roth and Holmes (1985) reported
aerobic fitness mitigated the effects of stress upon stress related illness in college freshmen
Crews and Landers (1987) meta-analysis on active vs sedentary responses to stress
- 34 studies
- aerobically fit/active individual had reduced stress response (especially in recovery)
Spalding et al. (2004) training and stress response 6 week intervention found that…
- 45 sedentary females (18-30)
- 70-85% VO2,20-30 mins., 3-5 weeks, 7 lifts 3x8-12, 3/5 times per week
- pre-post stress test
- trained participants exhibited improved fitness and reduced stress (BP, HR) during stress test and recovery
Selye (1950) does training buffer stress?
cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis
- training, induces physical adaptations that generalise domains
- augmented response to novel stressors results in quicker adaptation
- minimisation of the stress response during common or chronic stress; preserves NE and Cortisol
Gal & Lazarus (1975) Psychological factors
Greater autonomy and mastery (hardiness: control, challenge, commitment)
-improved self-perception
social support
-distraction
Anxiety definition
- Emotional state of anticipation or apprehension about the future
General anxiety disorder symptomology
- Excessive worry >6 months, not confused to phobia OCD, PTSD
- Anxiety impairs social and vocational functioning
- Inability to control or cope with anxiety
- presence of restlessness, fatigue, concentration problems, irritability, muscle tension, sleep problems
- no pre-existing substance/medical conditions
traditional treatments for anxiety
- Cognitive behaviour therapy (expensive, long term, social stigma)
- Medications (SSRI’s, Valiums, Xanax)( Expensive, long-term, addiction, side-effects-sleep problems, dizziness, nausea, depression)
- Alternative treatments ( changes in diet, smoking, alcohol and drug use)
Other types of anxiety disorders
Clinical forms:
- panic disorder
- phobias
- social anxiety disorder
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder
Stephens (1988) exercise and prevention findings
- 4 large epidemiology studies in US and Canada
- active lifestyle associated with lower trait anxiety
- effect was independant of sex, age, SES; slightly greater > 40 years
Petruzello et al. (1991) effects of acute exercise on anxiety
acute exercise reduces state anxiety (ES=.24)
reductions greatest in moderate intensity aerobic exercises (60-69% HR/vo2max) exceeding 20 mins
Effect was transient (4-6 hours)
Nonaerobic exercise increased anxiety (ES=-.05)
Petruzello et al (1991) effect of training on anxieity
aerobic training reduce trait anxiety (ES=.34)
Nonaerobic training increased trait anxiety (ES=.16)
AT effective for clinical/non-clinical anxiety
More effective than alternative treatments
most effective when
-programs should exceed 10 weeks
sessions should exceed 20 mins
Bartholomew and Linder (1998) resistance exercise and anxiety
study 1
state anxiety increased at moderate-high intensity in males but not females. Female effect was transient
study 2
40-50% alleviated anxiety
75-85 1RM increased anxiety
returned to pre-levels > 30 mins
is exercise an effective treatment for clinical anxiety?
Jayakody et al., (2013)
Stonerock et al., (2015)
- reduces anxiety symptoms, enhances Qol; less effective than antidepressants
- all exercise modalities effective; greatest benefit for high trait/non-clinical, bouts > 40 mins
- enhanced effects when combined with group CBT
Panic disorder patients (Broocks et al 1998)
46 males and females (18-50y)
10 week run/walk, 4 stages
exercise and drug conditions more effective than placebo
anxiolytic effect stronger and faster for drug
depression scores also reduced
Egil Martinsen programs (Martinsen 2007)
- Inpatients with GAD, social anxiety, agoraphobia
- walking, jogging, stretching, resistance programs
- fitness gains associated with long-term reduction in symptoms
- non-aerobic exercise also effective
- low intensity preferred
- distraction and skill mastery as mechanisms
potential mechanisms- why exercise alleviates clinical anxiety?
- Densitisation, reframing of symptoms
- muscular relaxation, temperature change
- enhanced competence, autonomy, mastery
- social support
- elevated levels of serotonin and GABA
