Running head: EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 1

Exercise and stress level in college

Student’s Name

Institution

Course
EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 2

Abstract

Background: Physical activity especially among college students is known to greatly

impact their mental and physical health. The current study focuses on investigating the effects of

frequent exercise on stress level of college students. The study involved several participants who

were learners from college in different learning institutions (Choi, 2020). The results of the study

revealed common differences among cognitive and emotional symptoms of stress across various

college students. The study garnered that there is significant relationship between the volume of

physical activity and level of stress (Choi, 2020).This report is a discussion consisting of exercise

related terms in relevance to the topic of its effects on college students. In this regard, the

discussion identifies the effects of frequent stress with the aim of determining its impacts on

college students. The report is based on the general notion that college students who are prone to

engage in exercises are less likely to gain weight (Amatriain et al.,2020). As a result of poor diets

and stress in college, many learners worry about the issue of gaining weight. The study supports

a relevant example in in which exercising is usually utilized by knowledge providers as a way

through which students refresh their minds. In most cases, poor sleeping habits are normal

occurrences for college students (Román et al.,2020). As such, most students end up sleeping

during normal class sessions thus missing out important class details.

Introduction

Firstly, the study is aware that stress is an inevitable party of human life such that it is

impossible to eliminate permanently but could be managed. An analysis of previous reports

garnered that a large number of people use exercise as a way of coping with stress. On the same

note, others reveal that sleeping, watching movies and listening to music are other ways through
EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 3

which stress could be managed (Gallo et al., 2020). College students who exercise four or more

times within a week are reported to possess better moods and reduced stress amounts compared

to those who hardly engage or rarely engage in exercises. The assertion that regular exercise is

associated with frequent exercise reveals that more of it is connected with benefits in the body.

On this note, this report aims to answer the question on whether frequent is associated with

positive or negative impacts on the body (Gallo et al., 2020). Amidst analyzing the content

relevant to the identified thesis, the report will focus on college students with the aim of

determining whether too much exercise would impact them, and in which way? Regular

exercising is associated with improved mood and attitude among college students thus relieving

them from stress and tension. Therefore, upon engaging in exercises, the study garners that

learners would benefit. Moreover, the study recommends that knowledge providers should

ensure learners are subjected to exercises to embrace better moods and attitude. The study

garners that engaging in exercise is one way through which the body is put in a condition such

that it would require rest. Engaging in exercise is associated with benefits such as maintenance of

physical fitness and stress reduction. On the same note, exercise is a strategy through which the

body would be set to fight diseases (Román et al.,2020). College learners are prone to various

environmental, social and psychological changes based on the assertion that they shift from high

school to college when changing to adulthood from adolescence. Under such circumstances, they

are prone to suffer from mental health complications since they are exposed to various stressors

including academic problems, individual relationships, employment and career, and also

relationships that are built on opposite-sex (Choi, 2020). College is the time when most learners

socialize with the aim of learning how to develop positive relationships; however, individual

relationships could not be easy to maintain.

EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 4

Methods

Participants

The study was quasi-experimental in nature based on the assertion that the participants

were given opportunity to participate or quit from participating in the physical fitness event. The

study was conducted as per the following criteria: college students under full-time enrollment in

good health were identified for the research. College students with contraindications when

performing exercises were also excluded from the research study. The research participants were

gathered from both graduate and undergraduate courses regardless of their age. The research did

not specify the minimum of maximum number of college student participating in the event as

others it was assumed that others could opt out (Stanton et al.,2020)

Protocol

Essential information was gathered surrounding the physical fitness event. It was ensured

that the participants had volunteered to participate in the study up to the final level of engaging

in physical fitness (Giménez et al.,2020). Students in the research group were instructed by the

researcher to engage in a minimum of one physical fitness activity within a day for entire set

duration of the study. Other college students separated in the control team were instructed to

engage in their norms and to avoid engaging In the physical fitness activities at all costs. As an

aggregate score adopted from Cohen’s Perceived Stress scale, the PPS tool was utilized by the

research since it is serves as the most widely used psychological tool used to measure the level of

stress (Stanton et al., 2020). The tool was based on ten items that were designed to realize how

uncontrollable, unpredictable and overworked the college participants found their lives (Román

et al., 2020). Common questions utilized include: “In the past month, have you felt that at some
EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 5

point you could hardly cope with the things you engage in?” and “In the past month, how often

did you feel that you were based at the top of all the things?” In this line, the participants were

advised to choose answers on a scale that ranged from 0 (Never felt) to 4 (Felt very often). The

scores were acquired through reversing of responses to four items with positive statements. The

participants were allowed to choose events on their own thus the exercise mode and intensity,

was dependent on the research participants. In this regard, the current research study garners that

the intensity of exercise does not moderate the response of antidepressant to extreme exercise.

Results

A total of five out of the five among the participants provided the answer “Yes” in

response to the qualitative question which read“Are you convinced that your participation in the

fitness event helped to minimize your school related stress?” On the same note, a total of four out

of the five participants of the physical event preferred to explain on their respective responses.

Furthermore, the comments presented a uniform concept of mental relaxation following

engagement in the physical fitness event.

Qualitative responses:

“Do you feel that participation in Fitness4Finals events helped to reduce your end-of-semester

stress?”

Participan

t Response Comment

2 Yes In the past, I was a runner such that I was prone to high intensity,The
EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 6

Participan

t Response Comment

yoga exercises therefore helped me reduce my stress.

7 Yes The physical exercise program was very helpful in terms of

minimizing stress. On the same note, working out helped me since I

felt like I was objected to a beneficial routine.

8 Yes The exercises made me clear my mind by focusing more on my study.

9 Yes The exercises helped me to feel mentally relaxed.

13 Yes It made me have a break in my mind especially, from school related

work.

Discussion

The major aim of the investigation was to garner whether college students engaging in

frequent exercises would be associated with reduced physiological and psychological stress.

According to the analysis of this research, there is no correlation that exists in between

participation in acute exercises and stress reduction. Results revealed weak connection between

extreme exercises and stress reduction (Gallo et al., 2020). In this regard, it could be debated that

all exercises play a similar role in the body. Despite the efforts to conduct the current research

study, there is need to conduct future research based on additions and adjustments in the tools

through which stress is measured. This is based on the assertion that a more perceived tool for

stress measurement specifically on college stress could provide even more accurate analysis.

Based on the discrepancies that exist between the current research findings and the other past
EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 7

research, It could be garnered that engagement in acute exercise does not influence the levels of

stress especially among college student participants. In this line, the study recommends the use

of frequent exercise as a strategy through which the level of stress could be managed. In a similar

study that was conducted previously regarding the association between depression symptoms and

physical activity especially among adolescents, it was garnered that the individuals who were

active in sports were less associated with the development of depression symptoms. On the same

note, it was garnered that exercise improves an individual’s physical ability by generating the

positive physical perception through which personal well-being is enhanced. In this regard, the

purpose of the study is to develop essential data for purposes of depression management through

physical activity. As such, the study focuses on determining whether there is significant

difference in interpersonal relationship and stress propensity based on the amount of physical

activity.
EXERCISE AND STRESS LEVEL IN COLLEGE 8

References

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Willumsen, J. F. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity

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Choi, J. (2020). Impact of stress levels on eating behaviors among college

students. Nutrients, 12(5), 1241.

Gallo, L. A., Gallo, T. F., Young, S. L., Moritz, K. M., & Akison, L. K. (2020). The impact of

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