Working Women

Exercise for Stress and Low Mood: What a Huge Review Found

October 8, 2026 · 4 min read · Working Women

Woman running along a waterfront path under a cloudy sky

Deadlines, caring responsibilities, the mental load of running a household — stress is part of life for most working women. You already know exercise is “good for you”. But the evidence that it helps your mood specifically is stronger than many people realise.

The evidence

In 2023, Ben Singh and colleagues published an overview of systematic reviews in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. They pulled together 97 reviews covering 1,039 trials and 128,119 participants (Singh et al., 2023).

128,119participants across 1,039 trials

3outcomes improved: depression, anxiety and distress

≤12 weeksshorter programs showed the largest effects

Singh et al., 2023

Their findings:

Physical activity produced medium-sized reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress, compared with usual care.
Benefits were seen across many groups, including healthy adults, people with depression, and pregnant and postpartum women.
Higher-intensity activity was associated with larger improvements.
All kinds of activity helped — walking, resistance training, yoga and mixed programs.

Why it may help

Researchers suggest several mechanisms working together: changes in brain chemistry and stress hormones, better sleep, a sense of achievement, time away from screens and problems, and — when you exercise with others — social connection.

A stress-busting week

Day	Activity	Why
Mon	30-min strength session	Effort and progress build confidence
Tue	20-min brisk walk outside at lunch	Daylight, movement, a break from screens
Wed	30-min strength session
Thu	Yoga or stretching, 20 min	Slower pace, focus on breathing
Fri	30-min strength or a run
Sat	Longer walk with a friend or family	Social connection
Sun	Rest, or gentle movement

That adds up to the WHO’s recommended 150+ minutes of moderate activity plus two strength sessions a week (Bull et al., 2020).

When you have no energy to start

Shrink the goal. “Put on trainers and walk to the end of the road.” Most days you’ll keep going.
Schedule it like a meeting. Block it in your calendar.
Go outside. A walk in daylight is often easier to start than a workout.
Make it social. A walking date with a friend is harder to cancel.

Pair movement with a calming skill

Exercise works well alongside other evidence-based tools. A meta-analysis of mindfulness-based stress reduction in healthy adults found large reductions in stress (Khoury et al., 2015). Try five minutes of slow breathing after your workout.

Important: when to get help

Exercise is a helpful tool, not a replacement for professional care. If you’ve felt low, hopeless or anxious most days for two weeks or more, if it’s affecting your work or relationships, or if you have thoughts of harming yourself, please speak to your doctor or a mental-health professional. If you’re in immediate danger, contact your local emergency number.

Which activity, for which day?

How you feel	Try
Wired and tense	A brisk walk or run, then 5 minutes of slow breathing
Flat and low	A short strength session — finishing it is a win in itself
Overwhelmed	A slow walk outside, phone in pocket
Can’t switch off at night	Gentle yoga or stretching, earlier in the evening
Lonely	A class, a walking group or a walk with a friend

Higher intensity, bigger effect

The review found that higher-intensity activity was linked to larger improvements in mood (Singh et al., 2023). That doesn’t mean every session must be hard — it means it’s worth including some sessions where you breathe hard, like brisk uphill walks, short runs or strength sets taken close to failure.

Build the habit gently

Week	Target
1	Three 15-minute walks
2	Three 20-minute walks, one including a hill
3	Two walks + one 30-minute strength session
4	Two strength sessions + two brisk walks

Shorter programmes (12 weeks or less) produced the largest effects in the review, so a focused month or two is a great start.

Pair it with recovery

Stress isn’t only managed by doing more. Protect your sleep, eat regular meals, and take short screen-free breaks. A few minutes of mindfulness after exercise is worth trying — mindfulness-based programmes produced large reductions in stress in healthy adults (Khoury et al., 2015).

FAQ

What type of exercise is best for mood? The one you’ll do. The review found benefits across walking, strength training, yoga and more.

How soon will I feel a difference? Many people feel better after a single session; the larger benefits came with regular activity over weeks.

The bottom line

A large body of research shows that regular physical activity meaningfully reduces stress, anxiety and low mood. Aim for a mix of walking and strength training most days — and seek professional help if symptoms persist.

Sources

Singh B et al. (2023). Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-106195
Khoury B et al. (2015). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: a meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.03.009
Bull FC et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955

This article is general education for healthy adults, not medical advice. Check with a qualified professional before starting a new exercise or nutrition plan, especially if you have a medical condition. Full disclaimer.