Move now, feel better for hours
In studies of everyday life, people tended to feel more positive in the few hours after being physically active.
In everyday life, people tended to feel more positive in the few hours after being physically active.
The study
This review brought together studies done in daily life, rather than in labs, that tracked how people felt and how active they were. Twelve studies looked at feelings after activity and found consistent evidence that activity was followed by more positive feelings over the next few hours, with some evidence for more energy too. The evidence on whether activity reduced negative feelings was unclear.
Starting small
Any movement you enjoy can count. A short walk, a stretch, or a bit of dancing in the kitchen earlier in the day is a simple way to see whether it lifts the hours that follow.