Effects of an Eight-Week Badminton Exercise Program on Autonomic Nervous System Balance, Cardiac Health, and Interhemispheric Brain Asymmetry in Male University Students

This study investigated the effects of an eight-week badminton exercise program on autonomic nervous system balance, cardiac health, and interhemispheric brain asymmetry in male university students. Thirty students were divided into a badminton exercise group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The exercise group performed 60-minute sessions twice a week for eight weeks, while pulse wave and EEG data were collected before and after the intervention. After 8 weeks of the badminton exercise intervention, sympathetic nervous system activity showed a slight decrease, whereas a slight increase was observed in the control group; however, these changes were not statistically significant. With respect to parasympathetic actinity, a slight increase was observed after weeks of the badminton exercise intervention, whereas a slight decrease was observed in the control group; however, these changes were not statistically significant. Cardiac health improved by 3.04% in the exercise group but decreased by 9.55% in the control group, revealing a significant group × time interaction (p <.05). Furthermore, interhemispheric asymmetry increased by 2.74% in the exercise group, showing a significant between-group difference (p <.01). These findings suggest that regular badminton exercise contributes to improved cardiovascular function, autonomic regulation, and hemispheric coordination, serving as an effective lifestyle-based intervention for promoting both physical and neurophysiological health in university students.