Stevens, Andrew; Hicks, Joseph; Savage, Ryland; Bailey, Bruce (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Bailey, Bruce (Life Sciences, Exercise Science)
Purpose: This study examined the effect that differing exercise intensities have on subjective ratings of vitality both immediately following the condition and after 60 minutes of intense cognitive testing.
Methods: These findings come as a secondary analysis of a larger randomized crossover study that examined the effects of differing exercise intensities on cognitive performance. We recruited 228 men and women in roughly equal numbers to participate in the study. Each participant reported to the study lab four times one week apart. During the first day the participants ran a VO2 max test to establish pacing and baseline values. During the next three visits the participant completed a subjective vitality questionnaire before exercise, after 40 minutes of exercise or watching a video, and after 60 minutes of cognitive testing. The exercise conditions of vigorous (70% VO2 Max), moderate (35% VO2 Max) and sedentary activity (watching a video) were randomly assigned each week.
Results: The vitality rating before exercise was not significantly different between the three conditions with a mean rating of 19.9 ± 8.6 cm. After the sedentary condition, subjective ratings of vitality decreased from 19.9 cm to 12.5 cm after the condition and increased to 15.0 cm after the cognitive testing, remaining below pre-exercise values. After the moderate exercise condition, vitality did not change significantly after exercise (20.2 cm to 21.0 cm) but was lower following the cognitive tasks (15.9 cm). Vitality was slightly elevated following the vigorous exercise condition (19.8 cm to 21.3 cm) but went down after the cognitive tasks (17.1 cm). Vitality ratings did not differ significantly between exercise conditions at any time. The sedentary condition was lower than both exercise conditions after the 40-min intervention (p<0.001) and was lower than the vigorous exercise condition after the cognitive tasks (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Sedentary tasks may reduce subjective feelings of energy and vitality and this subjective evaluation remains suppressed after a period of cognitive exertion. Feelings of vitality and energy remain similar before and after exercise (vigorous or moderate) but then reduce after cognitive exertion. Vigorous exercise may be slightly beneficial for subjective feeling of vitality after exercise and following extended cognitive exertion.