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The Effects of Vigorous Exercise on Anxiety, Heart Rate, and Alpha Activity of Runners and Nonrunners
Author(s) -
Boutcher Stephen H.,
Landers Daniel M.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1988.tb01911.x
Subject(s) - heart rate , anxiety , psychology , alpha (finance) , aerobic exercise , reading (process) , physical therapy , medicine , developmental psychology , blood pressure , psychiatry , psychometrics , construct validity , law , political science
State anxiety, heart rate, and alpha activity of male nonrunners and runners (N=30) during a vigorous run and a quiet reading session were examined. Physical activity was performed at 80–85% age‐related maximal exercise heart rate for 20 min; the same subjects participated in a reading condition. Analysis revealed a significant decrease in post‐run state anxiety for the runners compared to the nonrunners. No reduction in state anxiety for either group was found after the reading condition. Runners also significantly reduced their heart rate after the run compared to nonrunners. A significant increase in alpha activity for both runners and nonrunners was found after the run compared to the reading condition. These results suggest that post‐exercise anxiety and heart rate responses were influenced by level of aerobic conditioning. Furthermore, dissimilar anxiety, heart rate, and alpha responses were found after the reading and exercise conditions.