Endurance Training Can Reduce Stress

Endurance Exercise Cuts Stress and Slows Brain Ageing, Study Finds

A November 2025 survey by health insurer Techniker Krankenkasse found that two-thirds of Germans frequently or occasionally feel stressed at work—a nine-percentage-point increase compared to twelve years ago.

According to the findings, an overwhelming majority (83%) turn to walks and time in nature to relieve stress. Research has shown that spending time in forests can lower blood pressure, but a recent study reveals that regular endurance training also has measurable positive effects on stress resilience.

In the study, health expert Peter J. Gianaros of the University of Pittsburgh and neuroscientist Kirk I. Erickson of the AdventHealth Research Institute examined 130 adult participants aged 26 to 58. The participants were divided into two groups.

One group engaged in 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous endurance exercise per week, such as jogging or cycling. The other group received only general information about healthy living but made no changes to their physical activity habits.

Over the course of a year, researchers used brain scans and cortisol analysis to track long-term changes in the body's stress response. They found that cortisol levels were significantly lower in the active group.

This suggests that endurance exercise, at the studied intensity, may offer a practical way to reduce the biological impact of stress and improve overall well-being. Another key finding: endurance training may help slow brain aging.

The researchers emphasize that the study's randomized design, control group, and one-year duration make its conclusions particularly robust. The findings were published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science.