Exercise shown to reduce anger in males

A study presented at the recent conference of the American College of Sports Medicine revealed that there may be a significant link between exercising and reducing the level of anger in men. AARP.com reports that researchers found that participants who had just exercised performed much better at controlling their emotions when shown images designed to induce anger.


While the cause for the correlation is not entirely known, the news source reports that it likely has to do with the levels of serotonin in the brain.


"Animal studies have found that low levels of serotonin are associated with aggression, which is our best analogue of anger in animals," stress psychologist Nathaniel Thom told the news provider.

"Exercise increases serotonin levels in the rat brain."


Having built up anger can cause high levels of stress, and using exercise as a reliever can yield significant health benefits older adults. According to the Foundation for Health in Aging, high stress levels can cause the lining of blood vessels to become inflamed, which can raise the risk of developing heart disease. Also, blood is more likely to form clots when one is feeling anxious, which can lead to heart attacks.



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