Stressed Out at Work? Exercise Might Help

Research suggests physical activity can help you manage workplace stress and anxiety

Kimberly Goad

Updated August 06, 2026

A man using a laptop at a desk in an office

Westend61/Getty Images

Stressed on the job? You’re hardly alone. Stress related to job insecurity affects more than half of working Americans, according to a 2025 survey from the American Psychological Association. The survey found top stressors include job insecurity, lack of managerial support, ageism and the isolation and blurred boundaries that come with working remotely. These can all do a number on us.

The good news: There’s a way to help dial down stress levels and guard against the health problems that arise from job stress, researchers say. The solution: exercise.

Stressed-out workers get relief from physical activity

Take cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Our bodies need cortisol to function well, but chronic stress — and the high cortisol levels that come with it — can lead to many health issues, including cognitive decline. According to a study of 130 people in midlife, moderate-to-vigorous exercise — brisk walking, stationary biking — was associated with drops in cortisol levels measured in hair samples. The results appeared in the Journal of Sport and Health Science in 2026.

A review of research published in 2025 in Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation suggests that regular exercise may help alleviate occupational stress and anxiety. One of the studies included found an improvement in health habits both on the clock and off.

In reviewing the data, which included 12 studies published between 2019 and 2024, the researchers found that aerobic activity — like dance class, jogging, swimming or cycling — helped reduce stress in several studies. But mindfulness-based activities, such as tai chi and yoga, also played a role in reducing stress and improving well-being. And regular strength training — weightlifting and resistance band exercises three times a week — helped reduce work-related fatigue.

“Some people are more vulnerable to anxiety and stress than others,” says Tamar Mendelson, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who was not involved in the study. “Exercise can have a positive effect on how we respond to stress and may be a great tool for people who struggle with stress management.”

Legal Disclaimer

Best Of

Women and Brain Health

Brain Health for Caregivers

Hearing Health Is Part of Brain Health

Eat Smart

Other research suggests that fitness serves a protector between perceived workplace stress and cardiovascular risk factors, in particular. In other words, even the most stressed-out workers had fewer cardiovascular risk factors if they were more physically fit.

Building exercise and mindfulness into workdays

Fitting a walk, jog or other enjoyable physical activity into your hectic work schedule may seem counterintuitive. But, as Mendelson points out, it not only buffers against or reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, “it can also increase joy and happiness and help you build up psychological resilience for whatever comes your way, so you feel less overwhelmed.”

Acknowledging the brain and body benefits of exercise, a growing number of employers have started offering yoga or exercise classes, holding health fairs or sponsoring physical fundraising activities such as charity walks, runs and bike rides.

But if your employer hasn’t, consider investing in your own physical health just as you do your professional development. It doesn’t have to be a huge investment of time or money. Simply lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement during your lunch hour or wake up a little earlier than usual to jog or get to the gym.

You can even multitask by biking to the office or hopping off public transportation one stop early and walking the rest of the way to work. If you fit in a workout first thing, “you’ll feel more energetic and ready to take on the day,” Mendelson says. And that, in turn, will affect your job performance a lot more than downing that third cup of coffee.