Effects of abstinence from habitual involvement in regular exercise on feeling states: An ecological momentary assessment study

Abstract

Regular exercise was experimentally reduced to determine its effects on positive feeling states. Using ecological momentary assessments, 40 participants maintained their regular exercise routine on 3 days and were deprived of their scheduled exercise on 3 other days. They recorded their feeling states, using the Exercise-Induced Feeling Inventory, four times daily as well as prior to and following exercise. Multi-level modelling analyses controlling for diurnal variations in feeling states revealed that positive feeling states were elevated on days when exercise deprivation occurred compared with non-exercise days and when no deprivation manipulation occurred. People with lower exercise dependence symptoms felt better on days when they were deprived from exercise compared with non-exercise days, whereas people with higher exercise dependence symptoms felt about the same when they were deprived from exercise compared with non-exercise days. These findings demonstrate that positive feeling states occur following an acute bout of exercise and that exercise deprivation had a positive impact on feeling states, with the level of exercise dependence symptoms moderating this effect.

Be Active and Become Happy: An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Physical Activity and Mood

“…The results replicate those of previous cross-sectional studies (e.g., Reed & Ones, 2006;Puetz et al, 2006), and are in line with the few studies that have analyzed the association between mood and PA using an EMA approach (e.g., Schwerdtfeger et al, 2008;Hausenblas et al, 2008).…”

“…Hausenblas, Gauvin, Symons Downs, and Duley (2008) analyzed the effects of abstinence from regular exercise on feeling states with EMA. Participants were deprived of their scheduled exercise on three days and maintained their regular exercise routine on three other days.…”

An experience sampling study of physical activity and positive affect: investigating the role of situational motivation and perceived intensity across time

“…77 That said, sample size the current study was consistent with that of past research and with expert recommendations. 16,[78][79][80] As suggested by Raudenbush et al 72,73 and other researchers, 78 we used a step-up procedure where the first model that was tested did not include predictor variables (i.e., unrestricted model). Then, various restricted models with combinations of variables were tested to address study hypotheses.…”

“…In particular, ESM is ideally suited to collect data on daily physical activity and affect taking into account participants' naturalistic contexts. [15][16][17] Physical activity and positive affect: overview…”

Unpacking the Feel-Good Effect of Free-Time Physical Activity: Between- and Within-Person Associations With Pleasant–Activated Feeling States

“…Though these reviews provide strong evidence to support the claim that prescribed physical activity increases pleasant-activated feelings, there is only a small amount of evidence that tested this claim using physical activity within the context of daily life. Studies on the feel good effects of daily life physical activity have not systematically identified the specific type of pleasant feelings that physical activity elicited (Giacobbi, Hausenblas, & Frye, 2005; Hausenblas, Gauvin, Downs, & Duley, 2008; Mata et al, 2011; Schwerdtfeger et al, 2008; Steptoe, Kimbell, & Basford, 1998; Watson, 1988). …”