Do not give in to the fear of cardio and cortisol: continue practicing endurance and interval training by simply adapting the intensity to your physical condition.

noli's read

Lucile Woodward is quite right to defuse this anxiety-inducing social media trend. In terms of well-being, a cardio session certainly causes a temporary rise in cortisol, but this stress hormone is essential in the short term to mobilize our energy during exercise. Far from harming the body, research confirms that endurance improves our overall resilience. A benchmark randomized clinical trial (RCT) published in 2026 in the Journal of Sport and Health Science demonstrates that practicing cardio regularly allows for a significant reduction in baseline resting cortisol levels. Nevertheless, a 2025 meta-analysis indicates that interval training (HIIT) that is too intense or lacks sufficient recovery can keep the stress hormone at a high level. Lucile's advice to adjust interval training to one's own level is therefore scientifically perfect for enjoying the benefits of exercise without overloading one's internal balance.

the sources

1. 1Hayes LD, Grace FM, Baker JS, Sculthorpe N 2015
2. 2Meeusen R, Duclos M, Foster C, et al. 2013
3. 3Milanović Z, Sporiš G, Weston M 2015