A recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that people who did a mentally tiresome task just before exercising reached exhaustion much more quickly than those who were mentally rested before working out. The researchers go on to state that 'our study provides experimental evidence that mental fatigue limits exercise tolerance in humans through higher perception of effort…[and] it provides strong evidence that brain function can limit short-term endurance performance.'

If you have ever had that end of workday exhaustion, you can identify with what this research suggests. It is no surprise that the average person who has had an emotionally or mentally taxing day does not have a great motivation to exercise. The daily stress and strains at work often make us want to go home, lay down, watch television, and eat whatever is easy, convenient, and pleasurable (in other words, think sweet, high-calorie, and high-fat comfort foods).  Exercise is the last thing we want to do because exercise itself is a physical stress. Why heap more discomfort and strain on ourselves when we can just relax?

A Swedish work stress study a few years ago found that when workers had emotionally stressful days they were less inclined to engage in any healthy behaviors after work. However, when the researchers worked to help create a work environment in which workers had greater control over their work demands and a fairer effort-reward balance, employees were more likely to want to exercise, were less emotionally and mentally tired, and were more likely to engage in healthy pursuits after work.

Further research has shown that work stress is directly linked to abdominal obesity in both men and women, so not only do we feel tired and exhausted, we are more apt to build fat stores (due to the increased cortisol secretion) and eat more high-caloric foods (stress-induced eating), and less likely to engage in calorie burning activities that would both metabolize the fat and the cortisol. Too much work stress hurts our health both by increasing our risk factors for chronic disease and decreasing our motivation and desire to engage in healthy behaviors that would reduce those risks.

The authors of the initial study want to further look into why people with mental fatigue perceive exercise to be more difficult. I'm going to step out on a limb here and suggest that 'they're tired!' The average person on the street can tell you that when you are tired, even easy tasks become more difficult and are perceived as more laborious. The body wants to rest, and exercise is the antithesis of that. Burdens of the day weigh you down mentally, and exercise is often just another burden.

Since BeWell is also about solutions, here are some things to consider to help you deal with the work stress and exercise problem:

1.  Identify why you are stressed at work. By identifying the source of the problem, you can begin to address ways to cope or reduce that stress.

2.  Recognize that work stress effects your after work behaviors by promoting sedentary activities and unhealthy eating, while simultaneously discouraging exercise. Find ways to motivate yourself. 

3. Understand that work stress can lead to increased fat storage and eventual obesity if you do not take steps to counter that storage with sound eating and regular physical activity.

4.  Think of 'activities' rather than exercise. Exercise has a negative connotation while activity does not. Also, activity means just moving -- so walking, dancing, gardening, and the like are all acceptable and pleasurable ways to burn calories. You don't have to kill yourself to be active. You can enjoy a stroll, walk the mall, spend time in your garden, or boogey on the dance floor. All of these activities allow you to ease your stress and improve your health at the same time.