THE SWEAT EFFECT

RUNNING

In a 2016 study*, people who jogged for 30 minutes before watching sad clips from a film were less affected than those who hadn’t exercised. Researchers concluded that aerobic exercise can help regulate emotion and allow you to recover more quickly from negative feelings.

HIIT

A study* has shown high-intensity exercise has particular benefits for women when it comes to stress and anxiety. Participants either took a HIIT class, exercised moderately or relaxed. Results revealed that the higher the intensity, the sharper the decline in anxiety and stress.

WEIGHT TRAINING

Research* found that women who participated in a twice-weekly weight-training regime for 15 weeks had significantly higher general wellbeing than those who didn’t train. They also benefitted from increased strength (unsurprisingly) and improved overall body image.

CYCLING

The commute isn’t all your bike is good for; it could also be useful in protecting against future emotional stress. One study found that those who cycled for 30 minutes had lower anxiety levels when later ‘emotionally stimulated’ (by looking at photos of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant events) than those who’d had 30 minutes’ rest.