“Track 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week” is tried and true advice from medical experts. While it’s true that regular exercise may lower your risk of heart disease, the study As of 2023, exercise has also been shown to improve mental well-being.
But if you dig deep enough down the social media rabbit hole, you can find posts about exercises that increase effectiveness. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol. They are not unfounded. A 2021 review found that high-intensity interval training increases cortisol levels. So which one is it? Can exercise reduce stress or worsen cortisol levels?
kAmp4EF2==J[ 3@E9 E9:?8D 2C6 ECF6] Q×? 86?6C2=[ 6I6C4:D6 42FD6D 2? :?4C62D6 3=@@5 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D[Q D2JD kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@4E@CD]924<6?D24<>6C:5:2?962=E9]@C8^AC@G:56C^s6?2Zv]ZpCF>F82>^`b`edaeQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmsC ]s6?2 v]pCF>F82>[ |sk^2mk^DEC@?8m[ E96 5:C64E@C @7 @36D:EJ >65:4:?6 2E w24<6?D24< |6C:5:2? y6CD6J $9@C6 &?:G6CD:EJ |65:42= r6?E6C] Qw:89\:?E6?D:EJ 6I6C4:D6D 42FD6 2? :?4C62D6 4@CE:D@= D9@CE=J 27E6C E96 24E:G:EJ[ 3FE =6G6=D 564C62D6 27E6C 2 76H 9@FCD @7 4@?E:?F65 6I6C4:D6]Qk^Am
kAm(:E9 E92E >:?5[ D96 D2JD E92E C68F=2C 6I6C4:D6 42? 2=D@ 96=A C65F46 4@CE:D@= @G6C E:>6 2D :E 8@@5 7@C >2?28:?8 DEC6DD 2?5 AC@>@E:?8 8@@5 962=E9] Q×E 42? 2=D@ AC@G:56 8C62E6C C64@G6CJ 7C@> 24FE6=J DEC6DD7F= D:EF2E:@?D]Qk^Am
kAm(96? :E 4@>6D E@ 6I6C4:D6 2?5 C65F4:?8 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D[ 6IA6CED D2J @?6 24E:G:EJ 2 4FE 23@G6 E96 C6DE] w6C6VD H92E J@F ?665 E@
kAmkDEC@?8m#6=2E65i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2C256]4@>^962=E9^H9J\9:89\49@=6DE6C@=\:D?E\2=H2JD\325\244@C5: ?8\E@\42C5:@=@8:DEDQmw:89 r9@=6DE6C@= xD?VE p=H2JD 2 r2FD6 7@C p=2C>—w6C6VD (9J[ p44@C5:?8 E@ r2C5:@=@8:DEDk^2mk^DEC@?8mk^Am
k9am(92E xD r@CE:D@=nk^9am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2C256]4@>^962=E9^H92E\:D\4@CE:D@=Qmr@CE:D@= 2 9@C>@?6k^2m E92E 96=AD C68F=2E6 @FC 3@ 5JVD DEC6DD C6DA@?D6[ 6IA=2:?D kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>J]4=6G6=2?54=:?:4]@C8^DE277^`h_gb\5:GJ2\J@8:\>@CC6?Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmsC]s:GJ2 *@8:\|@CC6?[ |sk^2mk^DEC@?8m[ @7 E96 r=6G6=2?5 r=:?:4]k^Am
kAmQq24< :? E96 AC6\9:DE@C:4 52JD[ :7 2 =:@? H2D 492D:?8 J@F[ J@F ?66565 2 A62< :? 4@CE:D@= E@ <?@H E@ CF? 2?5 6D42A6[Q sC] *@8:\|@CC6? D2JD]Qr@CE:D@= H2D 2=H2JD >62?EE@ 8@ FA C6DA@?D6 E@ 24FE6 DEC6DD]]]x? >@56C?\52J =:76[ =:@?D 5@?’E 492D6 FD[ 3FE H6 92G6 >@C6 A6CD:DE6?E DEC6DD] (6 92G6 DEC6DD7F= ;@3D]tG6? E96 4@>>FE6 42? 36 DEC6DD7F=]”k^Am
Cam$@[ H9:=6 4@CE:D@= 42? 36 =:76\D2G:?8[ :E 42? 2=D@ ?682E:G6=J :>A24E @FC 962=E9] Q%96 >2:? E9:?8 H6 2C6 4@?46C?65 3@FE 2D 6?5@4C:?@=@8:DED E92E E96D6 9:89 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D 42? 27764E J@FC 8=F4@D6 2?5 3=@@5 AC6DDFC6[Q sC] *@8:\|@CC6? D2JD]k^Am
kAm%96C6 42? 36 D6G6C2= D:8?D @7 9:89 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D[ 2?5 E96J 42? >2?:76DE A9JD:42= 2?5 >6?E2= H2JD] Qt=6G2E65 4@CE:D@= 42? 42FD6 2 >JC:25 @7 ?@?DA64:7:4 DJ>AE@>D DF49 2D 2?I:6EJ[ 56AC6DD:@?[ 82DEC@:?E6DE:?2= 5:DEC6DD[ D=66A 5:DEFC32?46D 2?5 H6:89E 82:?[Q D2JD kDEC@?8msC] y6DD6 $92H[ s]~]k^DEC@?8m[ 2? 2DD@4:2E6 AC@76DD@C @7 DA@CED >65:4:?6 2E E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]FHD]65F^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm&?:G6CD:EJ @7 (6DE6C? $E2E6Dk^2m]k^Am
k9am(92E xD E96 q6DE tI6C4:D6 %@ #65F46 r@CE:D@=nk^9am
kAmsC]*@8:\|@CC6? C64@>>6?5D H2=<:?8]QxEVD 7C66[ :EVD 2446DD:3=6[ :E C6BF:C6D ?@ DA64:2= 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 J@F 42? 4@?EC@= E96 :?E6?D:EJ[Q sC] *@8:\|@CC6? D2JD]k^Am
kAm%96 23:=:EJ E@ 4@?EC@= E96 :?E6?D:EJ 4C:E:42=]Qr2C5:@G2D4F=2C 6I6C4:D6 2E 2 =@H\>@ 56C2E6 :?E6?D:EJ =:<6=JE@ :>AC@G6 3C2:? 496>:December[ H9:49 C65F46D 4@CE:D@=[ 2?5 :E =6DD =:<6=J E@ 36 2 DEC6DD@C[Q D2JD kDEC@?8msC] {:?2 q6852496[ !9]s][ #s}k^DEC@?8m[ @7 E96 s64<6C r@==686 @7 }FCD:?8 2?5 w62=E9 $4:6?46D 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3:?892>E@?]65F^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmq:?892>E@? &?:G6CD:EJk^2m]k^Am
kAmsC]$92H D2JD 6I6C4:D6 C64@>>6?52E:@?D 2C6 A6CD@?2= 3FE 28C66D E92E 24E:G:E:6D =:<6 H2=<:?8 2C6 2 D@= :5 8@\E@[ 6IA=2:?:?8[ QtI6C4:D6 DF49 2D H2=<:?8[ ;@88:?8 @C 6G6? DEC6?8E9 EC2:?:?8 42? 36 @7 36?67:E :7 H6 6?DFC6 2 =6G6= @7 C2E:?8 @7 A6C46:G65 6I6CE:@? E92E :D @? E96 =@H6C 6?5]Qk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m#6=2E65i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2C256]4@>^962=E9^b_\D64@?5\923:E\7@C\=@H\6?6C8JQm%9:D b_\ $64@?5 w23:E r@F=5 q6 2 v2>6492?86C 7@C *@FC t?6C8J {6G6=Dk^2mk^DEC@?8mk^Am
k9bmw@HE@ DE2CE 2 H2=<:?8 C@FE:?6k^9bm
kAmtI6C4:D6 7C6BF6?E=J C64@>>6?565 7@C A9JD:42= 2?5 >6?E2= 962=E9[ 3FE A6@A=6 D9@F=5 DE:== 86E E96 ~z 7C@> 2 5@4E@C] QtG6CJ@?6 D9@F=5 4@?E24E 2 A9JD:4:2? 367@C6 DE2CE:?8 2? 6I6C4:D6 AC@8C2>[ 6G6? :7 :E’D 2 =@H @C >@56C2E6 :?E6?D:EJ[Q D2JD sC] *@8:\|@CC6?[ 255:?8 E92E AC@G:56CD >2J 6I6C4:D6 42FE:@? H:E9 :?5:G:5F2=D H:E9 2 9:DE@CJ @7 49C@?:4 4@?5:E:@?D =:<6 962CE[ =F?8 @C >@3:=:EJ :DDF6D] w@H6G6C[ 86?6C2==J[ E96C6VD 2 9:89 492?46 J@FV== 86E 2 5@F3=6 E9F>3D\FA] Q(2=<:?8 :D E96 62D:6DE E@ 86E 2 A2DD 7C@> 2 A9JD:4:2?[Q sC] *@8:\|@CC6? D2JD]k^Am
kAm~?46 2 A9JD:4:2? 92D 8:G6? J@F E96 8@\29625[ C6D:DE 2?J FC86D E@ H2=< 7@C 9@FCD 2E E96 72DE6DE A246 A@DD:3=6]k^Am
kAmQ*@F H2?EE@ DE2CE D=@H[Q D2JD sC] *@8:\|@CC6?]Q$@>6E:>6D[ x D2J DE2CE 2E 7:G6 @C `_ >:?FE6D E9C66 E:>6D A6C H66< 2?5 3F:=5 7C@> E96C6] %96 =2DE E9:?8 x H2?E 7@CD@>6@?6 E@ DE2CE E@@ 92C5 2?5 BF:E 3642FD6 E96J 86E 9FCE…?@ AF? :?E6?565[ 3FE x E6== A6@A=6 E9:D 2 >2C2E9@?[ ?@E 2 DAC:?E]Qk^Am
kAmsC]q6852496 28C66D E92E D=@H 2?5 DE625J H:?D E96 C246[ D2J:?8[ Qp49:6G:?8 8@2=D C6H2C5:?8[ H9:49 H:== :?4C62D6 E96 >@E:G2E:@? E@ 5@ >@C6]Qk^Am
kAm&=E:>2E6=J[ sC] *@8:\|@CC6? C64@>>6?5D H@C<:?8 FA E@ cd >:?FE6D @7 H2=<:?8 A6C 52J[ E9C66 E@ 7@FC E:>6D A6C H66<] k^Am
k9am~E96C tI6C4:D6D %@ {@H6C r@CE:D@= {6G6=Dk^9am
kAm%96 2446DD:3:=:EJ 2?5 =@H\:>A24E ?2EFC6 @7 H2=<:?8 >2J 92G6 62C?65 :EE@A 3:==:?8 2>@ ?8 D@>6 6IA6CED]w@H6G6C[ J@F 5@?VE k6>m92G6k^6>m E@ H2=< E9:D H2J E@ =@H6C 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D :7 E96 :562 5@6D?VE 2AA62= E@ J@F] $@>6 A6@A=6 >2J 7:?5 @E96C 7@C>D @7 6I6C4:D6 >@C6 6?;@J23=6]%96 <6J :DE@ 7:?5 D @>6E9:?8 J@F =:<6]k^Am
kAmQx7 J@F 2C6 2=C625J 6IA6C:6?4:?8 6=6G2E65 =6G6=D @7 4@CE:D@= 49C@?:42==J[ E96? J@F D9@F=5 D6=64E 2? 6I6C4:D6 E92E 42? AC@G:56 D@>6 6?;@J>6?E 2?5 AC@5F46 36?67:4:2= A9JD:@=@8:42= 492?86D[Q sC] $92H DF886DED]k^Am
kAmsC]q6852496 4@?4FCD[ 6IA=2:?:?8[ Qu@C4:?8 J@FCD6=7 E@ A6C7@C> 2? 6I6C4:D6 E92E 5@6D ?@E 3C:?8 2?J A=62DFC6 >2J 364@>6 2 DEC6DD@C] %96C67@C6[ x DF886DE A6C7@C>:?8 2? 24E:G:EJ E92E J@F 6?;@J]Qk^Am
kAm*@FVC6 2=D@ >@C6 =:<6=JE@ DE:4< H:E9 2? 24E:G:EJ :7 J@F 24EF2==J 6?;@J :E]sC]*@8:\|@CC6? D2JD E92E @E96C 4@CE:D@=\=@H6C:?8 6I6C4:D6D :?4=F56 DH:>>:?8 2?5 J@82]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m#6=2E65i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2C256]4@>^962=E9^H9J\H2<:?8\FA\>:55=6\@7\?:89EQmxD (2<:?8 &A :? E96 |:55=6 @7 E96 }:89E }@C>2=n w6C6VD (92E $=66A s@4E@CD $2Jk^2mk^DEC@?8mk^Am
k9amr2? *@F s@ wxx% :7 r@CE:D@= xD w:89nk^9am
kAm%96 2?DH6C E@ E9:D BF6DE:@? A6CD@?\56A6?56?E[ 3FE A6@A=6 H:E9 9:89 4@CE:D@= H:== H2?E E@ A2J 4=@D6 2EE6?E:@? E@ E96:C 3@5:6D H96? 5@:?8 wxx%] $@>6 A6@A=6 42? 5@ wxx% H:E9@FE 6I246C32E:?8 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D 4@?D:DE6?E=J[ AC@G:565 E96J H@C< 256BF2E6 C64@G6CJ]k^Am
kAmQ(9:=6 E96D6 AC@8C2>D 92G6 2AA=:42E:@?[ 6DA64:2==J 2 DA@CE:?8 2?5 EC2:?65 A@AF=2E:@?[ E96J 42CCJ 2 9:896C :?E6?D:EJ 2?5 =6G6= @7 A9JD:42= 2?5 6>@E:@?2= DEC6DD[ H9:49 42? 36 5:77:4F=E E@ >2?286 H:E9@FE 4=62C=J 567:?65 8@2=D 2?5 D4965F=6[Q sC] $92H 6IA=2:?D]Q%9:D =625D >6 E@ C62==J DF886DE :?5:G:5F2=D 65F42E6 E96>D6=G6D @? 2AAC@AC:2E6 A=2 ??:?8[ A6C:@5:K2E:@? 2?5 AC@8C2>>:?8 H96? H6 5:D4FDD EC2:?:?8 D4965F=6D]Qk^Am
kAm$A62< H:E9 J@FC 5@4E@C 23@FE 56G6=@A:?8 2 D4965F=6 E92E H@C
kAmkDEC@?8m}6IE FAi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2C256]4@>^962=E9^H9J\9:89\49@=6DE6C@=\:D?E\2=H2JD\325\244@C5:? 8\E@\42C5:@=@8:DEDQmw6C6VD (9J w:89 r9@=6DE6C@= xD?VE p=H2JD 2 r2FD6 7@C p=2C>[ p44@C5:?8 E@ r2C5:@=@8:DEDk^2mk^DEC@?8mk^Am
k9am$@FC46Dk^9am
kF=mk=:m#@=6 @7 !9JD:42= p4E:G:EJ @? |6?E2= w62=E9 2?5 (6==\q6:?8i p #6G:6H[ k6>mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?43:]?=>]?:9]8@G^A>4^2CE:4=6D^!|rhh_a_eg^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmrFC6FDk^2m k^6>mk^ =:mk=:mp4FE6 67764E @7 wxx% @? E6DE@DE6C@?6 2?5 4@CE:D@= =6G6=D 962=E9J :?5:G:5F2=Dip DJDE6>2E :4 C6G:6H 2?5 >6E2\2?2=JD:D[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^AF3>65]?43:]?=>]?:9]8@G^bc_aa_gd^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$42?5:?2G:2? y@FC?2=k^6 >m @7 k6>m|65:4:?6k^6>m U2>Aj k6>m$4:6?46k^6>m k6>m$A@CEDk^6>mk^2mk^= :mk=:msC]k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5@4E@CD]924<6?D24<>6C:5:2?962=E9]@C8 ^AC@G:56C^s6?2Zv]ZpCF>F82> ^`b`edaeQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQms6?2v]pCF>F82>[ |]s]k^2m[ E96 5:C64E@C @7 @36D:EJ >65:4:?6 2E w24<6?D24< |6C:5:2? y6CD6J $9@C6 &?:G6CD:EJ |65:42= r6?E6Ck^=:mk=:mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>J]4=6G6=2?54=:?:4]@C8^DE277^`h_gb\5:GJ2\J@8:\>@CC6?Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmsC]s:GJ2 *@8:\|@CC6?[ |sk^2m[ @7 E96 r=6G6=2?5 r=:?:4k^=:mk=:mkAmsC] y6DD6 $92H[ s]~][ rp”$|[ &$p([ 2? 2DD@4:2E6 AC@76DD@C @7 DA@CED >65:4:?6 2E E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]FHD]65F^Qm&?:G6CD:EJ @7 (6DE6C? $E2E6Dk^2mk^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmsC]{:?2 q6852496[ !9]s][ #s}[ @7 E96 s64<6C r@==686 @7 }FCD:?8 2?5 w62=E9 $4:6?46D 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3:?892>E@?]65F^Qmq:?892>E@? &?:G6CD:EJk^2mk^Amk^=:mk^F=m