The interrelation between aerobic exercise, mental well-being, stress response and epigenetics

Abstract

Mental well-being is a subjective, adaptive state of mind arising from complex dynamic interactions between cognitive, emotional and psychosocial factors. Positive mental well-being may promote good physical health, occupational functioning and academic achievement. In the moderate-to-vigorous intensity of aerobic range, regular cardiorespiratory exercise of sufficient duration and frequency has the capacity to boost resources of mental energy, to improve sleep, mental alertness and social interactions, to buffer maladaptive upregulated emotional responses to psychosocial stressors, to decrease anxiety, to moderate depressive symptoms and to support or even improve cognitive functioning.Epigenetic modification is a biological mechanism by which environmental factors influence cellular phenotype and function. Psychosocial stressors, and regular performance of aerobic exercise have opposite effects on the central nervous system, mediated at least in part through epigenetic modifications that reprogram the expression of relevant genes.Generally, physically active persons are more resilient to stress and experience fewer depressive symptoms than do physically inactive persons; and, indeed, regular moderate to strenuous aerobic activity has a mood-enhancing effect and has been proven to mitigate negative affectivity stress responses.The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the mechanisms that appear to play a role in aerobic exercise-induced improvement in mental well-being.

The burnout construct with reference to healthcare providers: A narrative review

“…With regard to physical activities, regular physical exercise has a beneficial effect on mental states such as anxiety, depression and stress, since it requires taking time away from one’s usual stressful life, and since endurance exercise has the capacity to downregulate some of the increased stress-related neural activities in the prefrontal cortex associated with hyper-vigilance and hyper-awareness. 78,79 Thus, physical exercise has the capacity to reduce stress, clear the mind of the worries of daily life, promote positive thinking and consequently to reduce the risk of burnout. 79…”

“…78,79 Thus, physical exercise has the capacity to reduce stress, clear the mind of the worries of daily life, promote positive thinking and consequently to reduce the risk of burnout. 79…”

“…64,66 With regard to physical activities, regular physical exercise has a beneficial effect on mental states such as anxiety, depression and stress, since it requires taking time away from one's usual stressful life, and since endurance exercise has the capacity to downregulate some of the increased stress-related neural activities in the prefrontal cortex associated with hyper-vigilance and hyper-awareness. 78,79 Thus, physical exercise has the capacity to reduce stress, clear the mind of the worries of daily life, promote positive thinking and consequently to reduce the risk of burnout. 79 Developing or established burnout should be managed by competent practitioners whose interventions should aim at improving psychological coping capabilities and mental resilience, and communication and time management skills, through various instruments including cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive reappraisal, mindfulness and stress management techniques, and by encouraging regular continual education and professional development.…”

“…78,79 Thus, physical exercise has the capacity to reduce stress, clear the mind of the worries of daily life, promote positive thinking and consequently to reduce the risk of burnout. 79 Developing or established burnout should be managed by competent practitioners whose interventions should aim at improving psychological coping capabilities and mental resilience, and communication and time management skills, through various instruments including cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive reappraisal, mindfulness and stress management techniques, and by encouraging regular continual education and professional development. 4,47,63 All these, hopefully, may result in the restoration of depleted resources of mental energy with a positive change of work behaviour, and an improvement in self-control, psychological coping, and resilience, and regain feelings of meaningfulness, relatedness and well-being.…”

Does physical activity influence health behavior, mental health, and psychological resilience under the moderating role of quality of life?

“…The significant impact of habitual physical activity on psychological resilience, mental health, and health behavior is the imperative of providing enough support for such activity to promote overall well-being ( Feller et al, 2021 ). Both social and psychological factors play a significant influence in forming health-related habits.…”