The effects of different workout styles and different motivations on the physiological markers of stress

Stress is felt by people every day and is often needed for motivation. However, extreme levels of stress can be harmful to a person, causing long-term health concerns such as heart disease, depression, or anxiety. Exercise can be used to limit the detrimental effects of stress. This study compares the stress reduction of various types of exercise. Workouts in this study varied by the workout's purpose and motivation, and the workout's intensity. Changes in heart rate, blood pressure, saliva pH, and self-evaluated stress levels were used as markers of stress levels. No significant differences were seen between the forced and recreational groups, but the intensity of workouts was seen to play a role, as seen by the reduction of stress levels in higher intensity workouts (0.8 drop in stress levels as compared to 0.4 in the lower intensity workout). Because of this, high-intensity exercise should be recommended to people looking to decrease their stress levels.