Not feeling perky at the office? Try a quick jog

2/8/2012

Employee wellness programs work to encourage individuals to get more physical activity during their day. This is can be a difficult task, considering that many people just want to relax after a long day at work rather than hit the gym. Recently, researchers proposed a new reason to exercise, one that may also help workers be more productive at the office.

According to scientists from Penn State University, people are more likely to report feelings of excitement and enthusiasm on days when they are more physically active.

"You don't have to be the fittest person who is exercising every day to receive the feel-good benefits of exercise," said researcher David Conroy, professor of kinesiology. "It's a matter of taking it one day at a time, of trying to get your activity in, and then there's this feel-good reward afterwards."

The researchers had 190 individuals keep diaries of their experiences, including their physical activity levels and mood on a given day. The scientists found that on days when people reported being more active, they were more likely to report pleasant feelings that were exemplified by excitement and enthusiasm.

To read more, click here.