ES-04 The Impact of Physical Activity Throughout the Day on Happiness
Abstract
Does the amount of activity a person experiences throughout the day influence their happiness?
In an attempt to answer this question, a campus-wide survey was conducted to quantify participants' level of pleasure and contentment. Participants answered questions regarding their activity level, feelings about their level of activity, and whether they are happy at the end of the day. The questionnaire was administered in the late afternoon when the day had almost concluded so that participants could answer about their day to the best of their ability.
The questions within the survey had the respondents rate: their overall level of happiness on a day-to-day basis; whether they felt fulfilled and content at the end of the day; whether they felt as if something was missing from their day, and if so, could it have been some form of physical activity. Participants were also asked how much time they spend being physically active and whether they feel fulfilled with their current level of activity. Respondents were asked to rate whether they feel as if they had a good day or not, and if their level of activity impacted that answer.
Results of the survey show that 76.4% of respondents responded positively to having a good day. Of the 76.4%, all reported being moderately active for at least 60 minutes per day. 88.3% of these respondents graded their level of activity as 'high'. An overwhelming 64.7% believe that their perception of having a good day was impacted by their level of activity.
With such a high percentage of positive responses to having a good day, and over half of the respondents feeling as if their activity level impacted that, our study highlights the importance of physical activity and its significant impact on mental and emotional health and well-being.
ES-04 The Impact of Physical Activity Throughout the Day on Happiness
Does the amount of activity a person experiences throughout the day influence their happiness?
In an attempt to answer this question, a campus-wide survey was conducted to quantify participants' level of pleasure and contentment. Participants answered questions regarding their activity level, feelings about their level of activity, and whether they are happy at the end of the day. The questionnaire was administered in the late afternoon when the day had almost concluded so that participants could answer about their day to the best of their ability.
The questions within the survey had the respondents rate: their overall level of happiness on a day-to-day basis; whether they felt fulfilled and content at the end of the day; whether they felt as if something was missing from their day, and if so, could it have been some form of physical activity. Participants were also asked how much time they spend being physically active and whether they feel fulfilled with their current level of activity. Respondents were asked to rate whether they feel as if they had a good day or not, and if their level of activity impacted that answer.
Results of the survey show that 76.4% of respondents responded positively to having a good day. Of the 76.4%, all reported being moderately active for at least 60 minutes per day. 88.3% of these respondents graded their level of activity as 'high'. An overwhelming 64.7% believe that their perception of having a good day was impacted by their level of activity.
With such a high percentage of positive responses to having a good day, and over half of the respondents feeling as if their activity level impacted that, our study highlights the importance of physical activity and its significant impact on mental and emotional health and well-being.