essay on regular exercise helps stress management

Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress

Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries..

December 21, 2020

Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you’re not an athlete or even if you’re out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief — and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

Exercise and stress relief

Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

• It pumps up your endorphins.  Physical activity may help bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, any aerobic activity, such as a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike, can contribute to this same feeling.
• It reduces negative effects of stress.  Exercise can provide stress relief for your body while imitating effects of stress, such as the flight or fight response, and helping your body and its systems practice working together through those effects. This can also lead to positive effects in your body—including your cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems—by helping protect your body from harmful effects of stress.
• It’s meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball, a long walk or run, or several laps in the pool, you may often find that you’ve forgotten the day’s irritations and concentrated only on your body’s movements. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you stay calm, clear and focused in everything you do.
• It improves your mood.  Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, improve your mood, help you relax, and lower symptoms of mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All of these exercise benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

Put exercise and stress relief to work for you

A successful exercise program begins with a few simple steps.

• Consult with your health care provider.  If you haven’t exercised for some time or you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
• Walk before you run. Build up your fitness level gradually. Excitement about a new program can lead to overdoing it and possibly even injury. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Examples of moderate aerobic activity include brisk walking or swimming, and vigorous aerobic activity can include running or biking. Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits. Also, aim to do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week.
• Do what you love. Almost any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Examples include walking, stair climbing, jogging, dancing, bicycling, yoga, tai chi, gardening, weightlifting and swimming. And remember, you don’t need to join a gym to get moving. Take a walk with the dog, try body-weight exercises or do a yoga video at home.
• Pencil it in.  In your schedule, you may need to do a morning workout one day and an evening activity the next. But carving out some time to move every day helps you make your exercise program an ongoing priority. Aim to include exercise in your schedule throughout your week.

Stick with it

Starting an exercise program is just the first step. Here are some tips for sticking with a new routine or refreshing a tired workout:

• Set SMART goals. Write down SMART goals — specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited goals. If your primary goal is to reduce stress in your life, your specific goals might include committing to walking during your lunch hour three times a week. Or try online fitness videos at home. Or, if needed, find a babysitter to watch your children so that you can slip away to attend a cycling class.
• Find a friend.  Knowing that someone is waiting for you to show up at the gym or the park can be a powerful incentive. Try making plans to meet friends for walks or workouts. Working out with a friend, co-worker or family member often brings a new level of motivation and commitment to your workouts. And friends can make exercising more fun!
• Change up your routine.  If you’ve always been a competitive runner, take a look at other, less competitive options that may help with stress reduction, such as Pilates or yoga classes. As an added bonus, these kinder, gentler workouts may enhance your running while also decreasing your stress.
• Exercise in short bursts.  Even brief bouts of physical activity offer benefits. For instance, if you can’t fit in one 30-minute walk, try a few 10-minute walks instead. Being active throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits. Take a mid-morning or afternoon break to move and stretch, go for a walk, or do some squats or pushups. Interval training, which entails brief (60 to 90 seconds) bursts of intense activity at almost full effort, can be a safe, effective and efficient way of gaining many of the benefits of longer duration exercise. What’s most important is making regular physical activity part of your lifestyle.

Whatever you do, don’t think of exercise as just one more thing on your to-do list. Find an activity you enjoy — whether it’s an active tennis match or a meditative meander down to a local park and back — and make it part of your regular routine. Any form of physical activity can help you unwind and become an important part of your approach to easing stress.

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Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity.

You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life.

Want to feel better, have more energy and even add years to your life? Just exercise.

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, no matter their age, sex or physical ability.

Need more convincing to get moving? Check out these seven ways that exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you.

1. Exercise controls weight

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help you keep off lost weight. When you take part in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

Regular trips to the gym are great, but don't worry if you can't find a large chunk of time to exercise every day. Any amount of activity is better than none. To gain the benefits of exercise, just get more active throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.

2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, and it decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which lowers your risk of heart and blood vessel, called cardiovascular, diseases.

Regular exercise helps prevent or manage many health problems and concerns, including:

• Metabolic syndrome.
• High blood pressure.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Depression.
• Many types of cancer.

It also can help improve cognitive function and helps lower the risk of death from all causes.

3. Exercise improves mood

Need an emotional lift? Or need to lower stress after a stressful day? A gym session or brisk walk can help. Physical activity stimulates many brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

You also may feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

4. Exercise boosts energy

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance.

Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to snooze? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep.

6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can improve energy levels and give you more confidence about your physical appearance, which may boost your sex life.

But there's even more to it than that. Regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise.

7. Exercise can be fun — and social!

Exercise and physical activity can be fun. They give you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply do activities that make you happy. Physical activity also can help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting.

So take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or family.

Exercise to feel better and have fun

Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and have fun. For most healthy adults, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:

Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Or get at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. You also can get an equal combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Aim to spread out this exercise over a few days or more in a week.

For even more health benefits, the guidelines suggest getting 300 minutes a week or more of moderate aerobic activity. Exercising this much may help with weight loss or keeping off lost weight. But even small amounts of physical activity can be helpful. Being active for short periods of time during the day can add up and have health benefits.

• Strength training. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. One set of each exercise is enough for health and fitness benefits. Use a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, biking, swimming and mowing the lawn.

Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running, swimming laps, heavy yardwork and aerobic dancing.

You can do strength training by using weight machines or free weights, your own body weight, heavy bags, or resistance bands. You also can use resistance paddles in the water or do activities such as rock climbing.

If you want to lose weight, keep off lost weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more.

Remember to check with a health care professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any concerns about your fitness or haven't exercised for a long time. Also check with a health care professional if you have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis.

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• AskMayoExpert. Physical activity (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2021.
• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://health.gov/our-work/physical-activity/current-guidelines. Accessed June 25, 2021.
• Peterson DM. The benefits and risk of aerobic exercise. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed June 24, 2021.
• Maseroli E, et al. Physical activity and female sexual dysfunction: A lot helps, but not too much. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.04.004.
• Allen MS. Physical activity as an adjunct treatment for erectile dysfunction. Nature Reviews: Urology. 2019; doi:10.1038/s41585-019-0210-6.
• Tips for starting physical activity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/tips-get-active/tips-starting-physical-activity. Accessed June 25, 2021.
• Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. June 16, 2021.

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Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress

Dana Sparks

Share this:

Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries.

This article is written by  Mayo Clinic Staff .

__________________________

You know that exercise does your body good, but you're too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. Hold on a second — there's good news when it comes to exercise and stress.

Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you're not an athlete or even if you're out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief — and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

Exercise and stress relief

Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

• It pumps up your endorphins.  Physical activity helps bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling.

As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.

• It improves your mood.  Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All of these exercise benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

Get more information from this article on mayoclinic.org . 

• Science Saturday: Conquering cancer by targeting its genetic abnormalities Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Screening can catch cervical cancer early

Related Articles

Stress and Health

Stress is a common problem in most societies. There are three main types of stress that may occur in our everyday lives: acute (a brief event such as a heated argument or getting stuck in a traffic jam), acute episodic (frequent acute events such as work deadlines), and chronic stress (persistent events like unemployment from a job loss, physical or mental abuse, substance abuse, or family conflict). Many of us may experience a combination of these three types.

Our bodies react to all types of stress via the same mechanism, which occurs regardless if the stress arises from a real or perceived event. Both acute and chronic stressors cause the “fight-or-flight” response. Hormones are released that instigate several actions within seconds: pumping blood and oxygen quickly to our cells, quickening the heart rate, and increasing mental alertness. In prehistoric times, this rapid response was needed to quickly escape a dangerous situation or fight off a predator. However all types of stress can trigger this response, as described in more detail below:

• A very small region at the base of the brain, called the hypothalamus, sets off the reaction and communicates with the body through the autonomic nervous system (ANS). This system regulates involuntary responses like blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and digestion. The ANS signals nerves and the hormone corticotropin to alert the adrenal glands, located on the top of each kidney, to release a hormone called adrenaline into the blood. [1]
• Adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) quickens the heart rate and increases blood pressure so more blood circulates to the muscles and heart to support a boost of energy. More oxygen in the blood is available to the heart, lungs, and brain to accommodate faster breathing and heightened alertness. Even one’s vision and hearing may become sharpened.
• If stress continues, the adrenal glands release another hormone called cortisol, which stimulates the release of glucose into the blood and increases the brain’s use of glucose for energy. It also turns off certain systems in the body to allow the body to focus on the stress response. These systems include digestion, reproduction, and growth.
• These hormones do not return to normal levels until the stress passes. If the stress does not pass, the nervous system continues to trigger physical reactions that can eventually lead to inflammation and damage to cells.

With acute stress, the event is brief and hormone levels will gradually return to normal. Acute episodic and chronic stress repeatedly trigger the fight-or-flight response causing a persistent elevation of hormones, leading to a risk of health problems: [2]

• Digestive issues (heartburn, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation)
• Weight gain
• Elevated blood pressure
• Chest pain, heart disease
• Immune system problems
• Skin conditions
• Muscular pain (headaches, back pain, neck pain)
• Sleep disruption, insomnia
• Infertility
• Anxiety, depression

How Chronic Stress Affects Eating Patterns

Chronic stress can affect the body’s use of calories and nutrients in various ways. It raises the body’s metabolic needs and increases the use and excretion of many nutrients. If one does not eat a nutritious diet, a deficiency may occur. [2] Stress also creates a chain reaction of behaviors that can negatively affect eating habits, leading to other health problems down the road.

• People feeling stress may lack the time or motivation to prepare nutritious, balanced meals, or may skip or forget to eat meals.
• Stress can disrupt sleep by causing lighter sleep or more frequent awakenings, which leads to fatigue during the day. [4] In order to cope with daytime fatigue, people may use stimulants to increase energy such as with caffeine or high-calorie snack foods. The reverse may also be true that poor-quality sleep is itself a stressor. Studies have found that sleep restriction causes a significant increase in cortisol levels. [4]
• During acute stress, the hormone adrenaline suppresses the appetite. [5] But with chronic stress, elevated levels of cortisol may cause cravings, particularly for foods high in sugar, fat, and calories, which may then lead to weight gain. [5,6]
• Cortisol favors the accumulation of fat in the belly area, also called central adiposity, which is associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes , cardiovascular disease , and certain breast cancers. [5,7-9] It also lowers levels of the hormone leptin (that promotes satiety) while increasing the hormone ghrelin (that increases appetite). [3]

Tips to Help Control Stress

• Mindful eating. When we “stress-eat,” we eat quickly without noticing what or how much we’re eating, which can lead to weight gain. Mindful eating practices counteract stress by encouraging deep breaths, making thoughtful food choices, focusing attention on the meal, and chewing food slowly and thoroughly. This increases enjoyment of the meal and improves digestion. Mindful eating can also help us realize when we are eating not because of physiological hunger but because of psychological turbulence, which may lead us to eat more as a coping mechanism.

• Research has also found that meditation training may lengthen or prevent the shortening of protein structures called telomeres. [11] Telomeres generally shrink in length with age and in those experiencing chronic stress; this can lead to the death of cells and inflammation, which is associated with an increased risk of age-related dementia and cardiovascular disease. Meditation practice has been associated in some studies with greater telomere activity and length in response to a reduction in anxiety, chronic stress, and cortisol levels.
• Mental health counseling or other social support. Feeling alone can add to stress. It can help to talk through feelings and concerns with a trusted individual. Often, just realizing that you are not alone and that your feelings are not unusual can help lower stress.
• Practicing work-life balance. Use vacation and personal time, or just set aside an hour a day. A periodic escape from the pressures of work can do wonders to reduce stress, increase productivity, and decrease the risk of physical and mental illnesses that are associated with workplace burnout.

• Good sleep hygiene. Stress can cause a heightened sense of alertness, which delays the onset of sleep as well as cause interrupted sleep throughout the night. This can prevent one from entering the deeper sleep stages in which the body repairs and grows tissue and supports a healthy immune system. The REM (rapid eye movement) sleep stage in particular helps with mood regulation and memory. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night by slowing down about 30 minutes before bedtime. Controlling stress through the other tips listed above can also improve sleep quality.
• Waxenbaum JA, Reddy V, Varacallo M. Anatomy, Autonomic Nervous System. [Updated 2020 Apr 5]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539845/
• Gonzalez MJ, Miranda-Massari JR. Diet and stress. Psychiatric Clinics . 2014 Dec 1;37(4):579-89.
• Sinha R. Role of addiction and stress neurobiology on food intake and obesity. Biological psychology . 2018 Jan 1;131:5-13.
• Geiker NR, Astrup A, Hjorth MF, Sjödin A, Pijls L, Markus CR. Does stress influence sleep patterns, food intake, weight gain, abdominal obesity and weight loss interventions and vice versa?. Obesity Reviews . 2018 Jan;19(1):81-97.
• Torres SJ, Nowson CA. Relationship between stress, eating behavior, and obesity. Nutrition . 2007 Nov 1;23(11-12):887-94.
• Chao AM, Jastreboff AM, White MA, Grilo CM, Sinha R. Stress, cortisol, and other appetite‐related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6‐month changes in food cravings and weight. Obesity . 2017 Apr;25(4):713-20.  *Multiple authors report funding disclosures.
• Huang T, Qi Q, Zheng Y, Ley SH, Manson JE, Hu FB, Qi L. Genetic predisposition to central obesity and risk of type 2 diabetes: two independent cohort studies. Diabetes Care . 2015 Jul 1;38(7):1306-11.
• Harris HR, Willett WC, Terry KL, Michels KB. Body fat distribution and risk of premenopausal breast cancer in the Nurses’ Health Study II. Journal of the National Cancer Institute . 2011 Feb 2;103(3):273-8.
• Dale CE, Fatemifar G, Palmer TM, White J, Prieto-Merino D, Zabaneh D, Engmann JE, Shah T, Wong A, Warren HR, McLachlan S. Causal associations of adiposity and body fat distribution with coronary heart disease, stroke subtypes, and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a Mendelian randomization analysis. Circulation . 2017 Jun 13;135(24):2373-88.
• Soltani H, Keim NL, Laugero KD. Diet Quality for Sodium and Vegetables Mediate Effects of Whole Food Diets on 8-Week Changes in Stress Load. Nutrients . 2018 Nov;10(11):1606.
• Conklin QA, Crosswell AD, Saron CD, Epel ES. Meditation, stress processes, and telomere biology. Current opinion in psychology . 2019 Aug 1;28:92-101.

Last reviewed October 2021

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Exercise for stress management

Stress is a part of life, of course, but chronic stress can cause or worsen many serious health problems, including obesity, depression, anxiety and cardiovascular disease. Luckily, there’s one thing everyone can do to alleviate its effects: exercise.

Exercise doesn’t have to be about losing weight, says Aja Battle, ACSM, an exercise physiologist at  Piedmont Atlanta Fitness Center . “Exercising in times of high stress can serve as a distraction, and you can use it to work away the stress.”

In addition to promoting overall wellness, physical activity can:

1. Enhance your mood

The physical act of exercise can lift your mood in multiple ways.

“Just going for a walk and being out in nature can heighten your mood,” says Battle.

And as a physical bonus, she says, if you can exert yourself hard enough, you’ll get that happiness and boost of energy known as a “runner’s high”—when your body creates endorphins, chemicals produced by the body that relieve stress and pain.

Other forms of exercise can create the same response, so you can get that same high from dancing, yoga or hiking.

2. Boost your self-confidence

So many people see exercise as something that’s hard or defeating, says Battle. But “it’s a great mood and esteem booster,” she says.

Once you’ve committed to it, “you can see exactly what you can do, and you realize you have more strength than you started with.” Plus, she adds, “you’ll start to notice a change in your body as well as your mood.”

3. Improve your mental health and sleep

Studies have shown that fitness can help decrease symptoms of mild depression and anxiety, partially because it helps you sleep better. Depression ,  anxiety  and lack of sleep can become a vicious cycle, with each feeding the other, but exercise can break the cycle.

“Intense exercise can make you tired, of course,” says Battle. “But it can also be energy-boosting and help you wake up.”

To help yourself sleep, don’t do intense cardio late in the day. Battle suggests yoga, tai chi or some type of water-based exercise class.

“Yoga and tai chi are amazing, and when you exercise in the water, it gives your body a chance to relax, puts it through a good range of motion, and it doesn’t feel like working out,” she says.

Finding a workout you love

While physical activity is non-negotiable if you want to reduce stress, the good news is you can choose your  favorite type of activity —almost all workouts are beneficial in some way.

“It’s all about finding what makes you happy,” says Battle. And if you don’t know what that is, “YouTube is an amazing tool. You can find full and partial workouts from trainers, including workouts where you don’t need equipment. You can use what you have at home.”

She also points out that exercise can be done at any fitness level.

“You can do seated workouts on your couch,” she says. “Or just use your body weight, like doing pushups and squats.”

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Physical Activity Is Good for the Mind and the Body

Health and Well-Being Matter is the monthly blog of the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Everyone has their own way to “recharge” their sense of well-being — something that makes them feel good physically, emotionally, and spiritually even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. Personally, I know that few things can improve my day as quickly as a walk around the block or even just getting up from my desk and doing some push-ups. A hike through the woods is ideal when I can make it happen. But that’s me. It’s not simply that I enjoy these activities but also that they literally make me feel better and clear my mind.

Mental health and physical health are closely connected. No kidding — what’s good for the body is often good for the mind. Knowing what you can do physically that has this effect for you will change your day and your life.

Physical activity has many well-established mental health benefits. These are published in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and include improved brain health and cognitive function (the ability to think, if you will), a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life. Although not a cure-all, increasing physical activity directly contributes to improved mental health and better overall health and well-being.

Learning how to routinely manage stress and getting screened for depression are simply good prevention practices. Awareness is especially critical at this time of year when disruptions to healthy habits and choices can be more likely and more jarring. Shorter days and colder temperatures have a way of interrupting routines — as do the holidays, with both their joys and their stresses. When the plentiful sunshine and clear skies of temperate months give way to unpredictable weather, less daylight, and festive gatherings, it may happen unconsciously or seem natural to be distracted from being as physically active. However, that tendency is precisely why it’s so important that we are ever more mindful of our physical and emotional health — and how we can maintain both — during this time of year.

Roughly half of all people in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime, with anxiety and anxiety disorders being the most common. Major depression, another of the most common mental health disorders, is also a leading cause of disability for middle-aged adults. Compounding all of this, mental health disorders like depression and anxiety can affect people’s ability to take part in health-promoting behaviors, including physical activity. In addition, physical health problems can contribute to mental health problems and make it harder for people to get treatment for mental health disorders.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need to take care of our physical and emotional health to light even more so these past 2 years. Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General highlighted how the pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis in youth .

The good news is that even small amounts of physical activity can immediately reduce symptoms of anxiety in adults and older adults. Depression has also shown to be responsive to physical activity. Research suggests that increased physical activity, of any kind, can improve depression symptoms experienced by people across the lifespan. Engaging in regular physical activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing depression in children and adults.

Though the seasons and our life circumstances may change, our basic needs do not. Just as we shift from shorts to coats or fresh summer fruits and vegetables to heartier fall food choices, so too must we shift our seasonal approach to how we stay physically active. Some of that is simply adapting to conditions: bundling up for a walk, wearing the appropriate shoes, or playing in the snow with the kids instead of playing soccer in the grass.

Sometimes there’s a bit more creativity involved. Often this means finding ways to simplify activity or make it more accessible. For example, it may not be possible to get to the gym or even take a walk due to weather or any number of reasons. In those instances, other options include adding new types of movement — such as impromptu dance parties at home — or doing a few household chores (yes, it all counts as physical activity).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I built a makeshift gym in my garage as an alternative to driving back and forth to the gym several miles from home. That has not only saved me time and money but also afforded me the opportunity to get 15 to 45 minutes of muscle-strengthening physical activity in at odd times of the day.

For more ideas on how to get active — on any day — or for help finding the motivation to get started, check out this Move Your Way® video .

The point to remember is that no matter the approach, the Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (anything that gets your heart beating faster) each week and at least 2 days per week of muscle-strengthening activity (anything that makes your muscles work harder than usual). Youth need 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Preschool-aged children ages 3 to 5 years need to be active throughout the day — with adult caregivers encouraging active play — to enhance growth and development. Striving toward these goals and then continuing to get physical activity, in some shape or form, contributes to better health outcomes both immediately and over the long term.

For youth, sports offer additional avenues to more physical activity and improved mental health. Youth who participate in sports may enjoy psychosocial health benefits beyond the benefits they gain from other forms of leisure-time physical activity. Psychological health benefits include higher levels of perceived competence, confidence, and self-esteem — not to mention the benefits of team building, leadership, and resilience, which are important skills to apply on the field and throughout life. Research has also shown that youth sports participants have a reduced risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Additionally, team sports participation during adolescence may lead to better mental health outcomes in adulthood (e.g., less anxiety and depression) for people exposed to adverse childhood experiences. In addition to the physical and mental health benefits, sports can be just plain fun.

Physical activity’s implications for significant positive effects on mental health and social well-being are enormous, impacting every facet of life. In fact, because of this national imperative, the presidential executive order that re-established the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition explicitly seeks to “expand national awareness of the importance of mental health as it pertains to physical fitness and nutrition.” While physical activity is not a substitute for mental health treatment when needed and it’s not the answer to certain mental health challenges, it does play a significant role in our emotional and cognitive well-being.

No matter how we choose to be active during the holiday season — or any season — every effort to move counts toward achieving recommended physical activity goals and will have positive impacts on both the mind and the body. Along with preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and the additional risks associated with these comorbidities, physical activity’s positive effect on mental health is yet another important reason to be active and Move Your Way .

As for me… I think it’s time for a walk. Happy and healthy holidays, everyone!

Yours in health, Paul

Paul Reed, MD Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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Essay on Stress Management

500 words essay on stress management.

Stress is a very complex phenomenon that we can define in several ways. However, if you put them together, it is basically the wear and tear of daily life. Stress management refers to a wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies for controlling a person’s stress level, especially chronic stress . If there is effective stress management, we can help one another break the hold of stress on our lives. The essay on stress management will throw light on the very same thing.

Identifying the Source of Stress

The first step of stress management is identifying the source of stress in your life. It is not as easy as that but it is essential. The true source of stress may not always be evident as we tend to overlook our own stress-inducing thoughts and feelings.

For instance, you might constantly worry about meeting your deadline. But, in reality, maybe your procrastination is what leads to this stress than the actual deadline. In order to identify the source of stress, we must look closely within ourselves.

If you explain away stress as temporary, then it may be a problem. Like if you yourself don’t take a breather from time to time, what is the point? On the other hand, is stress an integral part of your work and you acknowledging it like that?

If you make it a part of your personality, like you label things as crazy or nervous energy, you need to look further. Most importantly, do you blame the stress on people around you or the events surrounding you?

It is essential to take responsibility for the role one plays in creating or maintaining stress. Your stress will remain outside your control if you do not do it.

Strategies for Stress Management

It is obvious that we cannot avoid all kinds of stress but there are many stressors in your life which you can definitely eliminate. It is important to learn how to say no and stick to them.  Try to avoid people who stress you out.

Further, if you cannot avoid a stressful situation, try altering it. Express your feelings don’t bottle them up and manage your time better. Moreover, you can also adapt to the stressor if you can’t change it.

Reframe problems and look at the big picture. Similarly, adjust your standards and focus on the positive side. Never try to control the uncontrollable. Most importantly, make time for having fun and relaxing.

Spend some time with nature, go for a walk or call a friend, whatever pleases you.  You can also try working out, listening to music and more. As long as it makes you happy, never give up.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Stress Management

All in all, we can control our stress levels with relaxation techniques that evoke the relaxation response of our body. It is the state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. Thus, when you practice these techniques regularly, you can build your resilience and heal yourself.

FAQ of Essay on Stress Management

Question 1: What is the importance of stress management?

Answer 1: Stress management is very efficient as it helps in breaking the hold which stress has on our lives. Moreover, you can also become happy, healthy and more productive because of it. The ultimate goal should be to live a balanced life and have the resilience to hold up under pressure.

Question 2: Give some stress management techniques.

Answer 2: There are many stress management techniques through which one can reduce stress in their lives. One can change their situation or their reaction to it. We can try by altering the situation. If not, we can change our attitudes towards it. Remember, accept things that you cannot change.

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Research on the Impact of Regular Exercise Behavior of College Students on Academic Stress and Sleep Quality during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ming-zhu yuan.

1 School of Education, Fuzhou University of International Studies and Trade, Fuzhou 350202, China

Chao-Chien Chen

2 Department of Leisure and Recreation Management, Asia University, Taichung 413305, Taiwan

I-Shen Chen

3 Department of Leisure Industry Management, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung 411030, Taiwan

Cheng-Chia Yang

4 Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung 413305, Taiwan

Chin-Hsien Hsu

Associated data.

Not applicable.

When college students face the COVID-19 pandemic and new learning challenges simultaneously, how to reduce or alleviate their own academic stress has become a topic of concern to students and their parents. The psychological and physiological benefits of regular exercise have been confirmed by related studies. This study aimed to explore the impact of college students’ regular exercise behavior on academic stress and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a purposive sampling method to collect data through online questionnaires posted to relevant college student groups in northern, central, southern, and eastern Taiwan and the outlying islands. A total of 320 questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 91.4%; based on 304 valid questionnaires. The validity rate was 95%. The obtained data were entered in SPSS 24.0 statistical software, and the correlation between variables was analyzed with AMOS 24.0 statistical software. The results show that hypothesis 1 is established, that is, regular exercise behavior of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant negative impact on academic stress, meaning that during the COVID-19 pandemic, if college students can use their spare time to make exercise part of their life, such a regular schedule will help reduce their academic stress. In addition, the empirical results show that hypothesis 2 is established, that is, regular exercise behavior of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant positive impact on sleep quality. A possible reason is that under the COVID-19 pandemic, the efficiency of the body to absorb oxygen is increased through regular exercise, which reduces pressure and improves sleep quality. Hypothesis 3 is also confirmed, that is, the academic stress of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant negative impact on sleep quality. The reason may be that many leisure and social activities have been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thus college students exercised and studied during the time they originally intended for leisure and social activities, which reduced their academic stress, stabilized their mood, and improved their sleep quality.

1. Introduction

Sports have long brought people joy in life and shaped the awareness of consumption and cultural identity of local communities. Ho [ 1 ] pointed out that the American education system attaches great importance to sports, regards sports as a link to education and uses sports to cultivate outstanding talents and leaders. Furthermore, ninety percent of corporate CEOs have been members of school teams during college. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in 2020 has affected people’s lives and exercise habits. The pathogen is caused by the 2019 coronavirus (2019 nCoV). COVID-19 is primarily transmitted through droplets and close contact. Upper respiratory tract symptoms are commonly observed.

With relevant research on epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnoses, and treatments of COVID-19 [ 2 ], the relationship between exercise and viruses is gaining increasing attention.

In other words, the development of sports behavior is significant to individuals. According to the results of a survey on the current situation of sports by [ 3 ], the proportion of the population participating in sports in Taiwan reached 82.8%. A high sports participation rate of more than 80% has been maintained for 13 consecutive years, since 2008, and the proportion of the population that takes regular exercise has reached 33.0%. Since 2014, it has remained stable at 33.0% or more for 7 consecutive years, although there was a slight reduction in the proportion of the population that took regular exercise during 2020, which was due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be seen from these data that the concept of regular exercise habits has gradually been accepted by Chinese people, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of the general public. A relevant study also highlighted the important role of exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 4 ]. The study by [ 5 ] indicated that cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) played an important role in clinical assessments of convalescent COVID-19 patients as well as research aimed at understanding the long-term health effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

While college students are just leaving the high/vocational school stage and are under the pressure of entering a higher education institution, they do have more free time to participate in leisure sports. This phenomenon is in line with the results presented by [ 6 ] regarding the participation in sports of students at all levels in the 2019 school year. The research results show that, in terms of the percentage of students at all levels of schools who consciously have a positive attitude towards and interest in sports, 67.7% of elementary school students tend to agree, 61.2% of junior high school students tend to agree, 61.9% of senior high/vocational school students tend to agree, and 67.7% of college students tend to agree. Although college students are more active in participating in leisure sports, they inevitably face the academic stress brought about by changes in the learning environment. This result echoes the findings of [ 7 ], which pointed out that schoolwork is the main source of stress for freshmen and sophomores. The academic stress of freshmen comes from adapting to a new style of learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have set pandemic prevention measures for classrooms in response to the government’s pandemic prevention regulations, and because the students are adapting to the teaching styles of teachers from their first to fourth year in college, it is always a source of academic stress. Academic stress is already the highest among sophomores; thus, when college students face the COVID-19 pandemic and new learning challenges simultaneously, how to reduce or alleviate their own academic stress has become a topic of concern to them and their parents. The psychological and physiological benefits of regular exercise have been confirmed by related studies [ 8 , 9 ], and regular exercise can improve immunity against COVID-19 infection. Therefore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the impact of regular exercise behavior on college students’ academic stress is one of the focuses of this study.

Sleep quality is a good indicator of healthy living. Tempesta et al. [ 10 ] found that sleep functions to regulate emotions. A lack of sleep can lead to increased negative and decreased positive emotions. In contrast, good sleep quality can improve immunity against COVID-19 infection. However, with the development of technology networks, the frequency of using 3C products by college students has also increased, and various factors, such as the colorful online world and participation in club activities, have often changed the sleep habits of college students. The lack of sleep among college students continues to gain more and more attention from researchers [ 11 , 12 ]. The results of a survey on students at all levels of schools in the 2019 school year by the Taiwan Sports Administration showed that, according to the conscious sleep status of students at all school levels, the proportion of elementary school students who were satisfied with their sleep status was 46.8%, of those dissatisfied 14.1%, of junior high school students that were satisfied and dissatisfied 29.6% and 23.7%, respectively, of satisfied and dissatisfied senior high/vocational school students 18.2% and 37.6%, of satisfied and dissatisfied college students 24.6% and 28.7%, and overall 28.2% and 27.2%, respectively. These results show that the higher the school level, the more dissatisfied the students were with their sleep conditions. In other words, sleep quality has gradually become another hidden worry and barrier for college students to construct good quality of life, and sleep quality is even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been empirically proven that regular exercise can improve sleep quality [ 13 ]. Therefore, exploring the impact of regular exercise behaviors on the sleep quality of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic is another focus of this study.

According to the literature review, research on regular exercise behaviors mostly focused on middle-aged and elderly people [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ] and women or pregnant women [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Although a small part of research related to regular exercise is focused on students, few related discussions focused on the regular exercise of college students. In view of the trend of the declining birthrate, it is imperative for relevant units in colleges to understand the relevant issues that college students are currently facing to help them in their college life. It is urgent for college students to establish an understanding regarding the impact of regular exercise on their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study’s objective was to further understand the current trend in college students’ regular behaviors and the impact of this trend on college students who want to balance heavy schoolwork with their leisure lives. The findings from this study could help to understand the impact of regular exercise on sleep quality through empirical research.

2. Literature Review

The concept of regular exercise has gradually been accepted by Chinese people in recent years, especially because most people are unable to exercise regularly due to various factors, such as schoolwork, work, and daily life, and the phrase “no time” has become the intuitive response of most people regarding participating in regular exercise. Yao [ 21 ] suggested that the general definition of regular exercise is when an individual continuously and regularly engages in physical activities. A more refined definition can be based on the type, frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise. The Sports Administration [ 22 ], defined different exercise behaviors more clearly by pointing out these are divided into five major stages if the exercise behavior is considered a change in history “from nothing to something.” In the first stage, the idea of participating in sports has not yet been established; in the second stage, the intention of exercise behavior begins to develop, but no actual behavior occurs; the third stage is the beginning of participation in sports, but the behavior is scattered and irregular; the fourth stage is the beginning of regular exercise behavior, but the duration is less than 6 months; the fifth stage is when the exercise behavior is regular, and the duration has exceeded 6 months. According to the abovementioned narrative of exercise behavior by the Sports Administration, we can see that the process of people participating in sports is a continuous one and varies according to the individual’s different levels of involvement. This perspective also agrees with [ 18 ], who indicated that participation in continuous exercise is a complex behavior determination mechanism. The decision is affected by interactions between environmental and personal factors. When college students enter different learning environments from high/vocational schools, their perceptions of time use and sports participation have also changed. According to Chao and Tseng [ 23 ], in terms of the process of human physiological and psychological development, schooldays are a critical period for shaping and fixing personal lifestyles, healthy behavior, and attitudes. Lee and Yu [ 24 ] more clearly stated that college students are in the stage of convergence between college sports and national exercise, and students at this stage are temporarily relieved of the pressure of entering a higher educational institution and can have more time to choose their favorite sports activities, which has considerable impact on the development of the entire sport. This argument is consistent with research by [ 25 ], who indicated that university is the best time to cultivate lifelong exercise habits, where 84.7% of college students with regular exercise habits still maintained the habit of regular exercise after graduation. On the contrary, 81.3% of college students without regular exercise habits remained at the same amount of physical activity after graduation or even exercised less. In view of this, it is important to understand the influence of regular exercise behavior of college students on themselves. Different studies have adopted different measurement scales for the measurement of regular exercise behaviors. Hong stated that [ 17 ]—based on the fact that a lack of physical exercise has become the fourth-largest risk factor for death in the world—in 2010, the World Health Organization revised the recommended amount of physical activity for a healthy adult to complete at least 150 min of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week or at least 75 min of high-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. In 2011, the Health Promotion Administration also put forward the slogan of “Move for 150, be healthy,” and its content encourages adults over 18 years of age and the elderly to develop dynamic lifestyle habits and exercise for at least 10 min each time, in order to accumulate 150 min of moderately strenuous activity each week.

Different stages of schooling bring different levels of academic stress. Lin [ 26 ] stated that academic stress is a feeling of oppression formed after students’ subjective assessment of the requirements for academic performance according to personal factors, the external environment in the process of schoolwork, and their perception of the disturbing factors in the environment that hinder academic performance, which in turn triggers a chain reaction of physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. This point of view suggests that the source of student academic stress is multifaceted, rather than a single cause. Lo et al. [ 27 ] further put forward that the high academic stress of students may also stem from self-expectation and parents’ intervention in their schoolwork and excessive expectations, which may cause greatly increased pressure. Competition from peers is another source of stress. In addition to the abovementioned factors in students’ academic stress, Ref. [ 28 ] further described it from the perspective of personal construction and pointed out that heavy academic stress may reflect learners’ perceptions of the external context, such as teachers’ and parents’ requirements for schoolwork or the curriculum design, but the stress may also be constructed by the students themselves during the learning process. However, academic stress is not completely useless at the learning stage: sometimes it is the motivation for students to move forward. As [ 29 ] suggested, high academic stress may be caused by learners’ perceptions of external contexts in the process of self-adjustment, such as parental expectations, schoolwork requirements, and curriculum design, or students’ personal active construction during the learning process. While appropriate pressure is the driving force for progress, too much or too little pressure still has a profound impact on students’ physiology, psychology, and social interpersonal relationships. In other words, it is a more important issue to understand the source of academic stress faced by college students and give them further appropriate assistance or solutions. Most researchers used the personal, family, college, and social dimensions for the measurement of academic stress [ 30 ].

Sleep is like a nutrient that humans need for survival, and it plays an important role in extending life. Wang et al. [ 31 ] pointed out that sleep quality plays an important role in personal health and life satisfaction, and is also a necessity for promoting physical and mental health. From this point of view, people’s attention to the issues of sleep quality is the awareness that it has a close relationship with overall health and quality of life. According to Chiu and Lee [ 32 ], sleep quality is an evaluation standard that measures a person’s satisfaction with their quality of sleep with a subjective qualitative and objective quantitative approach. In other words, through this evaluation standard, people can know the pros and cons of their quality of sleep. For example, Ref. [ 33 ] took 175 female college students as research subjects to explore the relationship between their physical activities and sleep quality, and found that the group with high physical activities had better overall sleep quality than the group with low physical activities. The benefits of good-quality sleep for the body and mind have been the focus of many studies. For example, Ref. [ 34 ] pointed out that sleep quality is very important for personal health, happiness, and efficiency. Cherng and Shiu [ 35 ] held a similar view, and considered that after adequate sleep, mental alertness increases, which can improve work performance. It can be seen from related literature that different researchers used different tools to measure sleep quality. Wang and Huang [ 36 ] stated that Taiwan’s most commonly used sleep quality scales include the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Relevant studies have shown that regular exercise behavior has an impact on academic stress [ 37 , 38 ]. Regular exercise behavior has a positive effect on sleep quality [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ], academic stress has an impact on sleep quality [ 44 , 45 , 46 ].

3. Research Method

3.1. research structure.

This study aimed to explore the impact of regular exercise behavior of college students on academic stress and sleep quality. According to the research purpose and related literature, the proposed research structure is shown in Figure 1 .

Research structure.

3.2. Research Hypotheses

This study proposes the following hypotheses.

The impact of regular exercise behavior on academic stress is significant.

The impact of regular exercise behavior on sleep quality is significant.

The impact of academic stress on sleep quality is significant.

3.3. Research Subjects

Relevant research methods indicate that samples of more than 200 are considered medium-sized. If structural equation model analysis results are required, a study should not include fewer than 200 [ 47 ]. When analyzing structural equation models, the sample number is recommended to be between 100 and 150 [ 48 ]. The current study recruited 350 college students during the influence of COVID-19 through purposive sampling to participate in a survey questionnaire. A total of 320 questionnaires were recovered, for a return rate of 91.4%. The number of valid questionnaires was 304, with an effective recovery rate of 95%. The authors of [ 49 ] indicate that the measures of composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) of the questionnaire should be used as the chi test of convergent validity. For a good convergent validity of a questionnaire, research recommends a CR value greater than 0.6 and an AVE value greater than 0.5 [ 50 ]. This study explored the impact of college students’ regular exercise behaviors on academic stress and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data were collected using web-based questionnaires through purposive sampling to include college students in Taiwan. The web-based questionnaire was created as a Google Form. The link was posted in related groups of college students in northern, central, southern, and eastern Taiwan along with outlying islands. The questionnaire distribution period was from 1 August to 31 August 2021. Among the valid samples, 112 respondents were male, and 192 were female. A majority of respondents were 18–20 years old, totaling 154 people. Most of the respondents lived in central Taiwan, totaling 157 people. Most participants had weekly petty cash amounts of NTD501–1000, totaling 82 people. Most of the participants attended public universities (179), and 167 were enrolled at science and technology universities.

3.4. Research Tools

The content of this research questionnaire was mainly compiled with reference to related documents and revised questionnaires of [ 51 , 52 , 53 ]. The questionnaire was divided into four parts, with a total of 54 questions. Two experts from the field of recreational sports and one expert from health management were consulted to evaluate the questionnaire and provide suggestions for final revision. A pretest questionnaire was conducted in mid-July 2021 based on the suggestions from experts regarding its necessary revisions. The pretest primarily targeted college students in Taiwan who were conducive to the revision of the questionnaire in terms of its appropriateness and readability to enhance its content validity. The questionnaire was divided into four parts with a total of 54 questions. This study used CFA to verify the reliability and validity of the questionnaire and referred to the modification indices (MIs) for items deleted [ 54 ]. The following comprise the questions that were deleted. From the regular exercise scale: 1. Regular exercise makes me physically strong. 3. Regular exercise makes people enjoy themselves. 5. Regular exercise boosts self-confidence. 9. Exercise boosts friendship. 10. Everyone is supposed to schedule regular time for exercise. 13. Exercise usually takes priority when scheduling daily plans. 14. Exercise cannot be missed, even in extremely busy times. From the academic stress scale: 5. I feel anxious due to the academic competition among my classmates. 6. I suffer violent mood swings that affect my study. 11. I feel anxious because I can’t understand what the teacher is explaining during class. 12. My study is interfered with by my classmates. 14. I feel pressured because my parents want me to enter the next level of education (a graduate institute). From the sleep quality scale: 1. I cannot fall asleep within 30 min. 3. I must get up halfway through my sleep to go to the bathroom. 4. I cannot breathe well when I sleep. 5. I snore or cough loudly when I sleep. 6. I feel cold when I sleep. 7. I feel hot when I sleep. 8. I have nightmares when I sleep. 9. I feel pain when I sleep. 11. In the past month, I have relied on medication to help me sleep. 12. In the past month, I have found it difficult to stay awake while riding or driving, eating, or engaging in daily social activities. Question 13—In the past month, I have been struggling to pull myself together to do what I am supposed to do—was deleted in this study.

3.5. Research Processing and Analysis

After the questionnaires were recovered, those that missed too many answers, had the same options checked for all questions, had the checked answers showing a repetitive pattern, or failed to answer according to the instructions were excluded. The valid questionnaires were counted, and invalid questionnaires were eliminated from the study results. The data were entered in IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 24 statistical software, and the correlation between variables was analyzed with Analysis of Moment Structures Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 24 statistical software.

SPSS is a statistical software program that performs analyses using a graphical user interface. This study used SPSS to conduct descriptive statistics to examine the subjects’ sample structure characteristics. The software sorted out and simplified the data and enabled researchers to understand the distribution of each item via frequency distribution and percentage.

AMOS statistical software has a visual graphical interface that can construct, modify, and analyze complex structural equation models. In this study, AMOS was used to create structural equation models and determine whether the variable path coefficient reached a significant level to verify the research hypotheses.

3.6. Ethical Considerations

The survey was conducted anonymously. We developed the questionnaire according to our review and analysis of the relevant literature and used content checking and reliability analysis to evaluate and refine the content of the questionnaire. The research assistant reconfirmed the respondents’ willingness to participate and have their data used in this study and reiterated that the data would be presented anonymously. Therefore, the design of our study and content of our manuscript were based on the principles of fairness, openness, and impartiality.

4. Research Results

4.1. sample characteristics.

In this study, there were 304 valid samples, and the sample characteristics are shown in Table 1 .

Sample characteristics.

4.2. Measurement Model Analysis

• (1) Verification of Convergent Validity

Bagozzi and Yi [ 49 ] pointed out that the convergent validity of questionnaire dimensions should be tested by composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE), and suggested that the CR value of good convergent validity should be greater than 0.6 and the AVE value should be greater than 0.5 [ 50 ]. This study conducted convergent validity testing for the dimensions, such as regular exercise, academic stress, and sleep quality. The factor-loading values of all dimensions were between 0.75 and 0.95, the CR values were 0.89–0.94, and the AVE values were 0.64–0.80, consistent with the convergent validity standard recommended by [ 49 , 50 , 55 ]. Thus, according to the measured items, this research questionnaire has good convergent validity, as shown in Table 2 , Table 3 and Table 4 .

Regular exercise behavior: confirmatory factor analysis.

*** p < 0.001.

Academic stress—confirmatory factor analysis reached a significant level.

Sleep Quality—confirmatory factor analysis reached a significant level.

• (2) Discriminant Validity

This study used the trust interval method (bootstrap) to test the discriminant validity of the questionnaire. First, in order to determine whether the questionnaire dimensions were completely correlated, the Pearson correlation coefficient trust interval between the questionnaire dimensions was examined, and the results show that the confidence interval of the questionnaire dimensions does not contain 1, which indicates that the discriminant validity of the questionnaire dimensions of this study is significantly good [ 56 ], as shown in Table 5 and Table 6 .

Regular exercise behavior—hindrance—bootstrap 95% confidence interval table of related coefficients.

Academic stress—hindrance—bootstrap 95% confidence interval table of related coefficients.

• (3) Structural Model Analysis

Referring to the recommendations of [ 55 ], this study used the seven indicators of the chi-square value (χ 2 ), the ratio of χ 2 to the degree of freedom, GFI, AGFI, RMSEA, CFI, and PCFI as the criteria to test the overall model fit. Bagozzi and Yi [ 49 ] pointed out that the smaller the ratio of χ 2 to its degrees of freedom, the better, and the revised ratio in this study was 1.61; [ 55 ] indicated that the closer the GFI and AGFI values are to 1, the better, and the revised GFI and AGFI in this study were 0.90 and 0.88, respectively. Browne and Cudeck [ 57 ] considered that the best RMSEA value is less than 0.08, and the modified RMSEA value in this study was 0.04; the CFI best standard value is greater than 0.90, and the modified CFI in this study was 0.97; the PCFI needs to be at least greater than 0.50, and the revised PCFI of this study was 0.86. These results show that the overall fit index of this study reached the standard, as shown in Table 7 .

Structural model.

• (4) Research Results

Table 8 shows that the impact of regular exercise behaviors on academic stress was significant, and H1 was established. The impact of regular exercise behavior on sleep quality was significant, and H2 was established. The impact of academic stress on sleep quality was significant, and H3 was established.

Summary of study hypotheses and validation results.

• (5) Discussion and Suggestions
• i. Discussion

It can be seen from Figure 2 and Table 8 that H1 is established, that is, the regular exercise behavior of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant negative impact on academic stress. The results of this study are similar to those of [ 38 ], meaning that during the COVID-19 pandemic, if college students can use their spare time to make exercise part of their life, such a regular schedule will help reduce their academic stress. In addition, the empirical results show that H2 is established, that is, the regular exercise behavior of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant positive impact on sleep quality. This research result is consistent with [ 43 ], and a possible reason is that under the COVID-19 pandemic, the efficiency of the body to absorb oxygen is increased through regular exercise, which reduces pressure and improves sleep quality. H3 is also confirmed, that is, the academic stress of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant negative impact on sleep quality. The results of this study are similar to [ 46 ], and the reason may be that many leisure and social activities have been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic; thus, college students exercise and study during the time they originally intended for leisure and social activities, which reduced their academic stress, stabilized their mood, and improved their sleep quality.

Model of impact of regular exercise behavior of college students on academic stress and sleep quality.

• ii. Suggestions
• (1) For college students

According to H2, the impact of regular exercise behavior on the sleep quality of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic has reached a positive significant level. Therefore, it is recommended that college students with no regular exercise habits can actively participate in college physical education courses and sports club courses to learn about different sports or popular leisure sports, in order to find and learn about the sport that suits their abilities and interests under the COVID-19 pandemic through the process of participation, which can further open opportunities to cultivate their personal exercise habits. For example, pickleball is currently promoted for college students. Compared to badminton and tennis, pickleball is suitable for college students who lack sports experience, as the exercise intensity can be high or low, the rules are simple, and it requires only basic movements. It is especially easy for college students who have been exposed to tennis, billiards, or badminton to learn. Exposure to different types of sports opportunities can construct regular exercise behaviors more often for college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, which can help release psychological and psychological pressure and improve their quality of sleep. Moreover, it is recommended that college students with regular exercise habits can increase their exercise time and exercise intensity during the COVID-19 pandemic to further improve their quality of sleep. CommonWealth Magazine [ 58 ] suggested that it is best to choose light- or medium-intensity exercises when exercising at night, as this level of activity can help people fall asleep faster and further improve sleep quality; however, it is better to avoid exercising within an hour before going to bed, in order to give the body enough time to relax. Therefore, under the COVID-19 pandemic, college students can use their spare time at night to engage in regular exercise of appropriate intensity that will not overstimulate the nervous system and make it easier to fall asleep, further allowing the body to get better rest. Of course, college students’ acceptance of 3C products is high at present; therefore, the relevant sports app (sports application) or online interactive fitness courses can help college students increase their interest in sports during the COVID-19 pandemic in an interesting environment, which will further cultivate their regular exercise habits.

• (2) For Event College-Related Units

The results indicated that the regular exercise behavior of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic had a significantly negative impact on academic stress. Therefore, it is recommended that relevant college units arrange appropriate physical education and sports-related courses for college students during their study period, so they can develop the habit of regular exercise in a gradual and progressive manner. For example, swimming lessons are compulsory at some colleges and universities. Although the motive is to cultivate regular exercise habits, some students may be uncomfortable with swimming lessons and even reject the sport because of the pandemic, personal, or water-related factors. Therefore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to plan physical education curricula according to the students’ needs and motivations to build up their regular exercise habits. On the other hand, college administrators can promote sports-related experience activities for college students who do not have regular exercise habits so that they can balance their life and work by participating in sports and reducing their academic stress, e.g., courses that provide a basic understanding of high-altitude rope erection and operation, which can be connected to rock climbing or rope-walking related sports. Through the planning of physical education courses, students can spend their spare time training for sports that interest them, and then develop regular exercise habits. In addition, it is recommended that college management units encourage the diversified development of student sports clubs and vigorously support the college’s competitive sports teams, which will increase the importance attached to sports by the whole college and provide opportunities that stimulate students’ motivation to participate in sports, thus further promoting the cultivation of regular exercise habits. Moreover, it is recommended that related college units can regularly organize intramural athletic sports competitions for college students with sports habits, such as campus marathons and interdepartmental ball games. Via such activities, students can be encouraged to actively prepare for events, thereby enhancing the atmosphere of regular sports in the college and reducing academic stress.

This study also showed that academic stress had a negative impact on sleep quality. It is suggested that college authorities relieve students’ academic stress through leisure sports interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this can be done to reduce the barriers to student participation in sports during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the provision of ventilated and safe sports venues and spaces (such as outdoor sports fields), sound pandemic prevention measures, and reasonable fees and opening hours can reduce the barriers for students to participate in sports during the COVID-19 pandemic and make them more willing to engage in regular sports. Once the habit of regular sports is developed, the effect of reducing academic stress can be achieved, which in turn improves the sleep quality of college students.

• (3) For Future Research

This study verifies the causal relationship between regular exercise behaviors, academic stress, and sleep quality. Moreover, we found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, some college students still chose to exercise, despite the fact that various preventive measures and social distance regulations made it more difficult to achieve regular exercise. Based on our findings, it is evident that with related restriction measurements during the COVID-19 pandemic, the definition of regular exercise changed, meaning that college students chose exercises with lower intensity so that they could continue to exercise. Exercise intensity is a new perspective that has been seldom discussed in the previous literature. While this study found that some college students still have regular exercise habits during the COVID-19 pandemic, their motivation to engage in exercise is waning due to repetition. Therefore, it is recommended that related theories can be targeted for further research in the future. For example, the theory of planned behavior can be an entry point to study the regular sports participation of college students from three aspects: attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control. In terms of attitude, understanding how college students treat regular exercise for weight control, health promotion, or a happy mood during the COVID-19 pandemic can help strengthen their belief in regular exercise behaviors. In addition, regarding subjective norms, due to the dependence of college students on their peers and important others, once a supportive environment for regular exercise is established in a college or family, it will help college students to become more involved in sports. Finally, in terms of perceived behavioral control, choosing suitable exercise intensity and the timely absorption of new knowledge about sports will help college students have a deeper understanding of regular exercise behaviors. As learned from the above, different theoretical foundations will help future related research to further explore the factors that affect college students’ regular exercise behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to recommending relevant theories for future research, exploring the preceding variables that affect the intention of regular exercise behaviors under the COVID-19 pandemic are also worthy of in-depth understanding, such as whether individual differences in self-esteem, emotion, or personality have an impact on regular exercise behavior.

5. Conclusions

As the relevant government departments continue to promote the national sports atmosphere, the concept of Chinese people’s spontaneous and regular exercise is gradually popularized. Appropriate regular exercise helps people maintain physical fitness and increase positive emotional feelings. When college students face a learning environment and technological environment different from the previous one, not only has the learning mode changed but also the pressure they face is different from the past. Therefore, whether college students’ regular exercise behavior can have an impact on their academic stress and sleep quality has become the focus of research. The following main conclusions have been obtained from the empirical analysis of this study:

H1 is established: The impact of regular exercise behavior on academic stress is significant.

H2 is established: The impact of regular exercise behavior on sleep quality is positively significant.

H3 is established: The impact of academic stress on sleep quality is negatively significant.

Funding Statement

This research received no external funding.

Author Contributions

Project administration, M.-Z.Y.; data curation, funding acquisition, supervision, C.-C.C.; validation, visualization, writing—original draft preparation, I.-S.C.; funding acquisition, investigation, methodology, writing—original draft preparation, C.-C.Y.; Resources, writing—review and editing, C.-H.H. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Informed consent statement.

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

Conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

World Health Day 2024: 9 Lifestyle Habits That Can Help You Live Longer

World health day 2024: here we discuss the many lifestyle changes that can help boost longevity..

World Health Day 2024: Aim for a body mass index (BMI) within the healthy range (18.5-24.9)

World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated annually on April 7th. It is organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness about a specific health topic of global concern and to mobilise action to address health issues affecting people around the world.

Ensuring longevity often involves a combination of factors including genetics, environment, and lifestyle choices. While genetics plays a role in determining lifespan, lifestyle habits can significantly influence overall health and longevity. In this article, we discuss the many lifestyle changes that can help boost longevity.

Here are some lifestyle habits that can contribute to longevity:

1. regular exercise.

Regular physical activity helps to maintain a healthy weight, strengthen the heart and cardiovascular system, improve circulation, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.

2. Healthy diet

Consuming a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats provides essential nutrients, antioxidants, and fibre to support overall health and longevity. Limit intake of processed foods, sugary beverages, and excessive amounts of sodium and saturated fats.

3. Adequate sleep

Quality sleep is essential for physical and mental health. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to allow your body to rest, repair, and rejuvenate. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid caffeine and electronic devices before bedtime, and maintain a comfortable sleep environment.

4. Stress management

Chronic stress can have detrimental effects on health and longevity. Practice stress-reducing techniques such as mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, or spending time in nature. Cultivate hobbies and activities that bring joy and relaxation.

5. Maintain social connections

Strong social connections and a sense of belonging have been linked to improved mental health and longevity. Stay connected with friends, family, and community members through regular interactions, activities, and support networks.

6. Limit alcohol consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of liver disease, cardiovascular problems, and certain types of cancer. Limit alcohol intake to moderate levels, which is generally defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

7. Avoid tobacco use

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide and is associated with numerous health problems, including cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disorders. Avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke to improve longevity and overall health.

8. Regular health screenings

Regular health check-ups and screenings can help detect potential health issues early, allowing for timely intervention and treatment. Follow recommended guidelines for screenings such as blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests, mammograms, and colorectal screenings.

9. Maintain a healthy weight

Obesity is a significant risk factor for numerous chronic diseases and can shorten lifespan. Strive to maintain a healthy weight through a combination of balanced diet and regular exercise. Aim for a body mass index (BMI) within the healthy range (18.5-24.9).

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A positive attitude and outlook on life can contribute to overall well-being and longevity. Practice gratitude, optimism, and resilience in the face of challenges. Surround yourself with supportive and positive influences.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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