Studies have found that exercising with intention is crucial and plays a role in your mood. If you have a physically demanding job, you probably do not pay much attention to your physical activity (PA) because you're in the mindset of getting a job done. Additionally, being consciously aware of your movements is more important than you might think. According to a study done by Utsumi, et al., there is a negative association between walking duration and depressive symptoms in post-disaster settings (2020). So, as walking time increases, depressive symptoms decrease. Furthermore, this study also suggests that walking duration may affect your mood positively (we'll discuss more ways exercise can enhance your mood later on).
Another study that examined the relationship between PA and mental health reinforces this concept that exercising with intention is vital. The authors state, "a number of individual studies have shown that leisure-time PA has a stronger relationship with mental health and mental ill-health, compared with work-related PA, transport PA, and household PA," (White, 2017). It's important to note that leisure-time PA are the activities that aren't essential in your daily life: exercise, recreational walking, sports, etc. Moreover, it's important to remember that all these results come from being consciously aware of your movements and exercising with the intent to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
