Physical activity has long been known to reduce depression and anxiety, and it is often prescribed to prevent or cure negative mental health conditions. However, less is known about the impact of physical activity on positive mental health issues, such as happiness and contentment. In a new study, researchers looked at which aspects of physical activity were associated with happiness, and which populations were likely to benefit from the effects. To that end, 23 studies on happiness and physical activity were reviewed. The 15 observational studies all showed a positive direct or indirect association between happiness and exercise. The eight interventional studies showed inconsistent results.
The findings suggest a threshold effect for the relationship between happiness and physical activity – several studies have shown that happiness levels were the same whether people consumed 150-300 minutes per week or more than 300 minutes per week.
The review of observational studies found that compared to inactive people, the odds ratio of being happy was 20, 29 and 52 percent higher for people who were insufficiently active, sufficiently active, or very active.
Three studies looked at happiness and activity in older adults. One found that exercising was associated with happier adults. Another found that total minutes of exercise per week was positively related to happiness. However, the findings suggest that happiness was mediated by health status and/or social functioning.
