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The following is a summary of “Psychological responses to acute exercise in patients with stress-induced exhaustion disorder: a cross-over randomized trial,” published in the January 2025 issue of Psychiatry by Kling et al.
Acute exercise can offer psychological benefits in clinical populations, yet its effects on exhaustion disorder (ED) remain unexplored. ED, marked by persistent exhaustion due to long-term stress, warrants further investigation of exercise’s psychological impact.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study comparing psychological responses to acute exercise in patients with ED and healthy controls across low and moderate intensities.
They conducted a 2-armed cross-over trial with 30 patients with ED and 30 healthy controls. Participants completed a 22-min exercise at low or moderate intensity on a cycle ergometer in randomized order. Perceived fatigue (POMS) was the primary outcome, while secondary outcomes included energy, anxiety, stress, exertion, and psychological discomfort, measured pre-, during, and up to 24 hours post-exercise. Exercise effects were analyzed using repeated measures to analyze variance.
The results showed ED patients reported higher exertion, psychological discomfort, fatigue, anxiety, and stress but lower energy compared to controls. The ED group had significant fatigue and stress reductions post-exercise (P < 0.05) and higher energy after moderate-intensity exercise (P < 0.05). Both groups experienced anxiety reductions with no group interactions over time. No differences were observed between pre- and 6 – or 24 -hours post-exercise, and the only intensity effect in patients with ED was a more pronounced energy decline 30 min after moderate-intensity exercise (P < 0.05).
Investigators found that a 22-min exercise session was more strenuous for patients with ED and led to greater improvements in fatigue, energy, and stress. These results emphasized the unique psychological responses to exercise in ED and can guide tailored interventions for this population.
Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-025-06484-1
