If you have time to make a coffee or scroll through Instagram, you have time to complete a mood-boosting workout. Lifestyle conflicts and lack of time are two of the top reasons Americans don’t stick to their fitness goals, according to a 2025 survey. But not every exercise routine needs to involve an hour at the gym or a rigorous run — in fact, if you’re looking to lift your spirits, just five minutes of activity might be enough.
To dig into the details, we picked the brain of Jennifer Fidder, certified personal trainer and owner of Jennifer Fidder Coaching LLC. “In the short term, just a few minutes of exercise can improve mood, reduce anxiety, and minimize stress for hours after the workout,” Fidder told Nice News.
Read on to discover more about the mood-lifting benefits of short-term exercise — and learn a few quick workouts to try while you’re at it.
How Mere Minutes Can Boost Your Mood
Even the shortest, simplest of workouts can have positive effects: A study out of Columbia University found that walking for one or five minutes after sitting for 30-minute intervals, and five minutes after hour-long intervals, significantly improved participants’ moods and reduced their fatigue. And in a small study involving kids, just 3.5 minutes of exercise was enough to lift spirits.
For those who like to get their heart pumping, research from 2019 showed that replacing 15 minutes of sitting with running reduced depression risk by 26%. “What our study would say is that any kind of movement can add up to keep depression at bay,” study author Karmel Choi told Harvard Health Publishing. “I think that’s why our study findings were especially appealing. It didn’t say you have to run a marathon, do hours of aerobics, or be a CrossFit master just to see benefits on depression.”
In fact, the Anxiety & Depression Association of America noted that regularly engaging in around five minutes of aerobic exercise can spark anti-anxiety effects. Want to take it a step further? A 2025 review identified moderately intense workouts lasting 10 to 30 minutes as the most effective type for lifting the spirits of young people.
Fidder confirmed that exercising for less than half an hour can offer major pros: “While I found with my own clients that even five minutes of moderate activity of nearly any kind (brisk walking, dancing, aerobics, etc.) is often enough to create a mood-boosting effect, we usually say 10-20 minutes is the sweet spot for longer-lasting effects, including reduced anxiety and better mood.”
And for those dealing with depression, completing lower-intensity routines may seem more doable. While high-intensity exercise is valuable, it’s “often cognitively more demanding as well, which might be challenging for people who feel depressed,” Fidder added. “Low and moderate-intensity workouts of any kind are easier to adhere to.”
Super-Short Workouts Are Good for the Body, Too
It’s worth noting that, along with the mental health benefits, super-short bursts of activity can have a sizable effect on our physical well-being. “Exercise snacks” — defined as bouts lasting five minutes or less, completed at least twice daily for a minimum of three times a week — have been found to significantly improve cardiorespiratory fitness for adults. Walking for as little as two minutes after eating a meal may also lower your blood sugar, according to one meta-analysis.
Plus, you may not even have to set aside any time for exercise in order to reap its benefits. Performing just a couple minutes of your daily activities with a little extra vigor (officially called vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity, or VILPA) has been determined to reduce premature death from any cause and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Simple tasks like carrying grocery bags, climbing stairs, and playing with children and pets all qualify.
Quick Routines to Try
Take a short walk outside: Combine the benefits of walking with the mood-elevating effects of getting outside, even if you’re just strolling around your neighborhood. Bonus points if you incorporate a challenge like Nordic walking.
Dance to your favorite song (or two): Why not make your cardio as fun as possible? Dancing is a natural stress reliever, and if you’re inclined to sing along as well, you may reap even more well-being benefits. Here are a few moves to kick your heart rate up a notch.
Follow a quick online yoga video: Yoga may increase levels of a brain chemical called γ-Aminobutyric acid, which can elevate your mood and lower your anxiety. Try these videos, all under 10 minutes, to get your flow on.
Climb some stairs: If you don’t live or work in a multistory building, take advantage of staircases in public spaces like parks, parking garages, and libraries — and whenever you have the option to take an elevator or escalator versus the stairs, choose the stairs.
Lift some weights: Weight lifting can strengthen your bones, reduce cholesterol, and decrease your risk of premature death. It’s an important part of an exercise routine at any age. This 10-minute workout for beginners is a great way to get started.
Engage in VILPA: Along with the examples listed above, incorporate a little extra vigorous activity into your day by running to catch the bus or train, power cleaning your house, opting to walk uphill when outside, or parking at the far end of the lot so that you spend more time walking.
Share to:
