IMPACT OF EXERCISE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF COLLEGE STUDENTS

College life plays quite a crucial role in students' lives. This is a phase known to be shaping the future of the students. Such a sensitive phase is usually accompanied with inundating stress. While there are certain ways to deal with the stress, a person chooses one that suits him/her the most. Out of such ways, Exercise (as acclaimed) is one of the most commonly used one among the youth. Given that many health practitioners claim exercise to be a ‘stress busting' activity, it is surprising to discern that only a few researches had been done yet to determine an evident relation between the two. This research is based on dwelling on the presence and extent of influence of exercise on the mental health of college students by developing a Cross-Sectional Survey with felicitous questions. These surveys were filled by 80 college students enrolled under Panjab University. The recorded observations were analysed and results showed students who regularly indulged in physical activity were less stressed out than those with lesser frequency of physical exertion. Students with a regular routine of working out were least likely to be affected by stress and its symptoms such as anxiety, lack of motivation, frustration, etc, in comparison to those who were physically inactive. This study will contribute to give volume to such researches and claims which further engenders the scope of exercise as a therapeutic tool for coping with stress. Not just that, inculcating such habits in students may also aid in mollifying increasing suicidal rates among students.