A 16-week aerobic exercise and mindfulness-based intervention on chronic psychosocial stress: a pilot and feasibility study

Abstract

Objectives Researchers have begun delivering mindfulness and aerobic exercise training concurrently on the premise that a combination intervention will yield salutary outcomes over and above each intervention alone. An estimate of the effect of combination training on chronic psychosocial stress in a nonclinical population has not been established. The objective of this study was to establish protocol feasibility in preparation of a definitive RCT targeting healthy individuals, and to explore the preliminary effect of combination training on reducing chronic psychosocial stress in this population. Methods Twenty-four participants were allocated to a single-arm pre-post study and subjected to 16 weeks of concurrent mindfulness psychoeducation and aerobic exercise training. Feasibility criteria were collected and evaluated. Within-group changes in chronic psychosocial stress, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and cardiorespiratory fitness were also assessed. Primary analyses were based on 17 participants. Results Retention rate, response rate, recruitment rate, and sample size analyses indicate a definitive trial is feasible for detecting most effects with precision. There was also a decline in our primary dependent measure of chronic psychosocial stress (dpretest = −0.56, 95% CI [ −1.14,−0.06]). With regard to secondary measures, there was an increase in the use of cognitive reappraisal, and a reduction in use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. We are insufficiently confident to comment on changes in mindfulness and aerobic capacity $\left (\dot {V}O_{2max}\right)$ V ̇ O 2 max . However, there were subgroup improvements in aerobic economy at submaximal exercise intensities. Conclusions We recommend a definitive trial is feasible and should proceed. Trial registration ANZCTR (ID: ACTRN12619001726145). Retrospectively registered December 9, 2019.

Cognition, body, and mind: A three‐in‐one coordinate‐based fMRI meta‐analysis on cognitive, physical, and meditative trainings

“…For instance, meditative body–mind trainings, such as yoga, seem to bring more benefits than physical interventions alone, because of its loading on multiple domains (Govindaraj et al, 2016 ). Meditation and physical activity are known to support mental health (McGee, 2008 ; Sharma et al, 2006 ), both alone and combined (Alderman et al, 2016 ; Prochilo et al, 2021 ), acting particularly on stress, anxiety and depression (Desrosiers et al, 2013 ; Hofmann et al, 2010 ; López‐Torres Hidalgo & DEP‐EXERCISE Group, 2019 ; Philippot et al, 2022 ). The potential benefits of their combination are therefore not limited to psychiatric (Bendixen & Engedal, 2016 ; Gum & Cheavens, 2008 ) and neurological (Forlenza et al, 2016 ; Maxwell et al, 2019 ) conditions, and might rather help counteracting the onset of anxiety and mood disorders in physiological ageing (Han, 2021 ; Subramanyam et al, 2018 ).…”

Effects of adding aerobic physical activity to strengthening exercise on hip osteoarthritis symptoms: protocol for the PHOENIX randomised controlled trial

“…Participants begin the test with an 8–10 min light warm up and start at 1 W/kg FFM and increase 0.5 W/kg FFM every 3 min until they cannot maintain the watt output at ≥60 rpm, or they reach a rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of 15–17. Data are used to establish aerobic economy as previously reported [ 46 , 47 ].…”

Consolidated guidance for behavioral intervention pilot and feasibility studies

“…A number of different taxonomies have been proposed to label these types of studies. However, we recognize researchers can and do use terms referring to preliminary studies interchangeably or utilize a combination of them to describe a single study [79,136,167,[199][200][201][202][203][204][205][206][207][208][209][210].…”