PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HAS LONG BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER MENTAL HEALTH. WHAT’S NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD, HOWEVER, IS WHETHER TOO MUCH ACTIVITY CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING.
As a researcher on physical activity and mental health, I often hear people say, “The more active I am, the better I feel.” That suggests more physical activity is always needed to increase psychological well-being. However, you may know people who have a very physically demanding job or who train a lot and are not necessarily their better selves.
Similarly, others who spend several hours sitting down report they do not feel very well at the end of the day because they have moved very little.
Our group of researchers and students considered whether there is a linear link between physical activity levels and mental health and whether sedentary habits, such as sitting all day, influenced this relationship.
Previous studies identified linear or inverted U-shaped relationships between physical activity and mental health. But the biggest problem with them was that the amount of physical activity was measured using a questionnaire. There is generally a significant difference between how people report their physical activity and what is measured when they use a bracelet with an accelerometer.
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THE CONVERSATION