Exercise’s afterglow

Sweat for a moment, then bask in the good feeling for hours. Thafs the message of a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s recent annual meeting. The study suggests that the mood benefits of exercise last up to 12 times longer than previously thought. Earlier research had found that a workouf s feel-good effects last about an hour — not much longer than it takes the sweat to dry. But in the University of Vermont research, after men and women pedaled for 20 minutes on a stationary bike, questionnaires showed their moods remained buoyed for about half a day, whether they were fitness enthusiasts or just venturing off the couch for the first time, says researcher Jeremy Sibold, EdD.

HOWARD. Beth. USA: Reader’s Digest, Sept 2009, p. 76.

The University of Vermont research suggests that, for the benefits to last, you