Research: Exercise Can Ease Feelings of Hopelessness

Home exercise has been found to ease feelings of hopelessness in older people – average age of 66 – with coronary heart disease, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2014.

In a study of 324 patients, average age 66, with coronary heart disease,  those who walked or biked at home at least three days a week had a 12 percent reduction in hopelessness scores — even when considering other relevant circumstances such as age, participation in hospital-based exercise and depression. Although it may sound small, this reduction was statistically significant and so was not due to chance, researchers said.

Feeling hopeless can be dangerous because it can discourage people from taking healthful steps such as exercising or quitting smoking, said Susan L. Dunn, Ph.D., R.N., lead author of the study and a professor of nursing at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

People with hopelessness may also suffer from depression, which is marked by a loss of interest in activities they normally enjoy.

“For the first time, we show the beneficial effect of exercise in helping patients feel more hopeful. With home exercise, patients are likely thinking more positively about the future and feeling more capable of making positive changes for a healthy lifestyle,” Dunn said.

 For more information about the study, visit http://newsroom.heart.org/news/home-exercise-can-ease-hopelessness-in-coronary-heart-disease-patients.