# An Unexpected Way to React More Calmly to Stress Has Been Named

Regular exercise is beneficial not only for the heart and muscles - it can make a person more emotionally resilient. Brazilian scientists came to this conclusion. The study was published in the journal Acta Psychologica.

The study involved 40 healthy young volunteers. They were divided into two groups based on their cardiorespiratory endurance level: above average and below average.

In different sessions, participants were shown either neutral images (such as household objects) or unpleasant ones - scenes of injuries and threatening situations designed to induce stress and negative emotions. Afterward, levels of anxiety and anger were assessed.

It turned out that all subjects experienced tension when viewing disturbing images. However, people with higher fitness levels demonstrated significantly smaller increases in anxiety and anger. Participants with low endurance had a 775% higher risk of transitioning from moderate to high anxiety.

A similar pattern was observed with anger. The group with low fitness levels showed more pronounced outbursts of irritation and poorer emotional control. The lower the endurance, the higher the likelihood of an impulsive reaction to stressful stimuli.

According to the authors, this may be because regular training builds not only physical but also psychological resilience. Discipline and systematic exercise likely train self-regulation mechanisms, allowing for better control of anxiety and anger.

The authors emphasized that physical activity can be considered as a potential non-pharmacological strategy for managing anger and anxiety. However, larger-scale studies are needed to confirm the results.