Reducing some physiological stress effects by exercising

• In Event: Poster Presentation and Judging for: Biomedical; Cell & Molecular Biology; Chemistry & Biochemistry; Marine Science; Systematics & Evolutionary Biology.
  In Poster Session: Biomedical Sciences Poster Session

Abstract

Research shows that over 75% of Americans suffer from the negative physiological and emotional effects of chronic stress, and habitual aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce some of these effects by raising blood oxygen levels in the body (Perry, 2013). We sought to find a relationship between aerobic exercise, blood oxygen levels, and some negative effects of stress (such as reaction time and brain activity). We examined how short-term exercise affected blood oxygen, cognitive function through reaction time testing, and electroencephalogram (EEG) brain wave activity. Subjects were instructed to participate in three exercise treatment levels on different days: resting, jogging at 4mph, and running at 7mph, each for a period of five minutes. Before and after each treatment, blood oxygen percentage was recorded, and subjects took part in reaction time tests. Additionally, subjects’ brain wave activity was recorded using an EEG before and after exercise. The difference between final and initial measurements was obtained, and statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA. We found that blood oxygen immediately post-exercise significantly decreases with increased exercise, though reaction time does not significantly differ. We also found a slight increase in alpha brain waves and a slight decrease in beta brain waves. These trends may indicate that short-term aerobic exercise might reduce some negative effects of stress.

Authors

• Caleb Austin Maddox, Concordia University Texas

• Mary Kay Johnston, Concordia University Texas