Physical Activity and Daily Stress Processes in Older Adulthood

Abstract

Objectives Older adults who are physically active report lower levels of stress. Less is known about the links between physical activity and exposure and reactivity to stressful events in daily life. The current study examined within-person associations between actigraphy-assessed daily physical activity and exposure and affective reactivity to naturally occurring interpersonal stressors. Method Older adults (N = 180) from the Daily Experiences and Well-being Study completed ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) every 3 hours for 5-6 days where they reported negative affect throughout the day and interpersonal tensions at the end of the day. They also wore Actical accelerometers to capture physical activity. Results Older adults reported greater numbers of interpersonal stressors on days when they spent less time being sedentary and engaged in more light physical activity. On days when older adults experienced more interpersonal stressors, they reported higher levels of negative affect, but this association was attenuated when they were more physically active that day. Discussion Physical activity may bolster older adults’ capabilities to manage affective responses to interpersonal stressors in a more successful way. These findings underscore the importance of assessing physical activity and stressful events in daily life and have implications for both physical and psychological well-being.

Stress and mental health in populations of societies exposed to extraordinary circumstances : with focus on perceived and biological stress, perceived health, psychosocial factors, and sense of coherence

“…Previously, anxiety was mentioned having been found to be a risk factor for reporting decline in mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic, other such risk factors found in Paper III were a negative change in social life, experiencing a bad family situation, and a change in physical activity. All of which are known to influence mental health (213)(214)(215), and, thus, expected, as was female gender, the final risk factor found in Paper III. Women are in general more susceptible to psychological distress than men, also in the older population (216,217).…”

The Effect of Physical Activity on Sleep Quality Among Chinese College Students: The Chain Mediating Role of Stress and Smartphone Addiction During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…24 Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies indicate that physical activity serves as a protective factor in alleviating stress. 25,26 Prospective research on the stress-reducing effects of physical activity also shows that stress significantly decreases with an increase in physical activity. 27 Given the negative correlation between physical activity and stress, and the positive correlation between stress and poor sleep quality, we hypothesize that stress will mediate the relationship between physical activity and sleep quality.…”

“…Our findings align with previous research, indicating that physical activity significantly negatively predicts individual stress levels. 25 To delve more deeply, participation in physical activity induces both physiological and psychological relaxation responses, releasing substances such as BDNF and serotonin that contribute to alleviating tension and anxiety, consequently mitigating negative emotions associated with stress. 69 However, as a pivotal perilous factor influencing individuals, especially the holistic well-being of college students, stress can precipitate an array of adverse emotions, behaviors, and social maladaptation issues.…”

Daily Time-Use Patterns and Quality of Life in Parents: Protocol for a Pilot Quasi-Experimental, Nonrandomized Controlled Trial Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

“…An advantage of EMA is that it can be used in any situation (eg, on a person’s own smartphone) and allows for the documentation of changes in momentary internal states, such as stress, tension, or mood [ 23 ]. Time-use research using EMA has primarily examined individual activities (eg, physical activity [ 24 , 25 ]), yet this methodology has rarely been used to study time-use patterns of different daily activities [ 26 , 27 ].…”