University of Helsinki
Hi! We are three students from the University of Helsinki. We are studying for a Master’s in Changing Education and Class Teaching. This blog is an outcome from the course Neuroscience in Educational Sciences.
We were excited to research physical activity (PA) in relation to emotions and sleep. After getting into the topic via exploring previous research, we got motivated and mastered an idea: analyzing ourselves and our lifestyles.
In this outreach task, we used Oura rings and FirstBeat to measure our PA, stress levels (HRV) and sleep quality. Also, Profile of Mood States -questionnaire was used to estimate moods before and after workout.
We hope that our experince motivates and inspires you to be more physically active!
But, before showing the scientific information and our results, we are going to introduce ourselves:
Hi! I am Beñat! I have played football since I was a child and have been working as a football coach as well as participating as a coordinator in different sports competitions. Moreover, I have a bachelor’s degree in Physical Activity and Sport Science, hence both my personal and academic background have a strong relationship with physical activity and sports. Since I have been living in Helsinki, my lifestyle has slowed down and I am more sedentary. In order to avoid the negative (physical and mental) consequences of it, I try to practice physical activity at least 4 times a week. Training and practicing sports help me to disconnect and I feel more energetic after practicing them.
Hey, I am Laura! I was born in Finland, but I have lived most of my adulthood abroad, in India and England (you folks have no idea how hard it is to learn to drive on the RIGHT side of the road again :D). I have worked as a class teacher for six years and am a mother to a 10-year-old girl. Time for hobbies is and has been limited, but I enjoy dancing and games whenever I can! My workout routine is unstable, yet my lifestyle is active. Even hectic, one would say! I tend to climb, swim, run, do yoga or pilates on a weekly basis. My ADHD superpower gives me energy and spontaneity, but equally makes routine hard to maintain. During this experiment I paused my ADHD medication. I got extremely excited to do this research on myself! I have never studied my physical states, I do not even own scales! This research has opened my eyes and I cannot wait to share my findings with you!
Hi! I am Satu! I have a competitive swimming background and I’ve been teaching swimming for all age groups for the last 15 years. I am working as an HR service professional, also coaching young triathletes in swimming. I did my bachelor’s degree in early education including sport pedagogy as a minor subject. My weekly schedule is usually very full, and sometimes it is challenging to balance work, studies and leisure time. Lately I have been interested in exploring how PA affects my learning outcomes and overall well-being. Like Beñat, I am trying to practice moderate to vigorous and vigorous PA, usually swimming or gym, at least 4 times a week. The outcomes of this outreach task opened my eyes. Stay tuned!