The Effect of Sports Activities on Stress Resilience in Students at Vietnam National University

Exam stress has a significant impact on students’ psychological well-being and academic performance, with rising academic pressures and reduced physical activity contributing to adverse health outcomes. This underscores the urgent need for interventions to improve stress resilience. Regular participation in sports is a promising strategy to alleviate these negative effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sports activities on students’ functional and psychophysiological adaptation to exam-related stress. A total of 186 students from Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU–HCMC), were divided into two groups: an experimental group (EG), comprising students who had actively participated in sports for at least 2–3 years (including volleyball, football, badminton, table tennis, swimming, and shuttlecock), and a control group (CG), consisting of students not involved in sports. Data collection occurred in two phases—between exams and on exam day. Physiological parameters such as heart rate variability, spectral analysis, and central hemodynamic indices were measured using the MindWare Technologies system. In addition, students’ attention distribution was assessed through psychophysiological tests. The study revealed that students in the EG exhibited significantly better cardiovascular and psychophysiological metrics compared to the CG, with p<0.05. This suggests that sports participation enhances stress resilience, promotes mental well-being, and supports improved academic performance and daily functioning. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that physical activity improves cardiovascular reserve, lowers resting heart rate, and stabilizes blood pressure. Additionally, the study showed that students involved in sports had greater attention stability, likely owing to improved autonomic nervous system regulation and reduced central stress. This study offers compelling evidence that incorporating sports activities into higher education can considerably reduce exam-related stress and enhance students’ overall health and quality of life. Future research should focus on addressing limitations, such as sample size and assessing long-term effects, to further validate these results.