Being physically active is associated with more positive memories and better mood states in daily life

Physical activity positively impacts mental health. Experimental research suggests that both emotional memory and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) are mechanisms of physical activity’s effect on mental health. This study expands upon prior laboratory studies by examining how physical activity is associated with emotional memory and RNT in daily life, utilizing the experience sampling method (ESM).
A community sample (N=112) was prompted four times per day for seven consecutive days between September 2020 and September 2021 to report on their recent physical activity duration and intensity, RNT, positive and negative mood state, and to recall a recent emotional event.
Participants rated their recalled recent events as relatively more positive when they reported being longer or more intensely physically active during the preceding hours. No evidence was found for an association between physical activity and RNT. Confirming the mood-enhancing effect of physical activity, both activity duration and intensity were associated with less negative, and intensity with more positive mood state.
This data collection contains the minimal data, data documentation and analyses scripts to replicate these findings. The method and demographics of participants can be found in the preprint.