Cortisol Lowering Effect of Moderate Intensity Resistance and Aerobic Exercise Training

In the May issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise a group of American scientists (Jaggers. 2010) report on the beneficial effects of participation in a moderate intensity resistance aerobic followed by 30 minutes of walking/jogging/cycling (depend on their fitness level) on the treadmill or bike:

The EX group showed a significant decrease in resting CORT at wake (p = 0.04) and +2 hours (p = 0.04) following the 6 week intervention. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated by applying Simpson's 1/3 rule using the three time points in which saliva was collected (Wake, +1 hr, +2 hr). The EX group showed a significant decrease in AUC (p = 0.04) compared to the CON group which showed no change.

Even if you are completely healthy (the individuals in the study were HIV positive), you may well benefit from some moderate exercise by reducing cortisol levels, improving sleep qualities and reap all the positive health effects the former entail.