How weekend exercise can fight anxiety

If you’re too busy or stressed to work out during the week but have more time to exercise on weekends, there’s good news.

A new study (Chen et al., 2025), recently published in BMC Psychiatry, suggests that only exercising on Saturdays or Sundays (a.k.a. the “weekend warrior” physical activity pattern) can significantly lower your risk of experiencing anxiety throughout the week.

In terms of unleashing cardio’s anxiolytic power, the researchers found that, on average, when people met weekly recommended physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous cardiorespiratory activity within a seven-day period, it didn’t matter if they spread their workouts across several days or packed them into just one or two.

These first-of-their-kind findings suggest that even if your schedule only allows for “weekend warrior” workouts on Saturdays and Sundays, you can still reap the anxiety-reducing benefits of physical activity.

What This Population-Based Study Shows

For this study, Zihao Chen and co-authors analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a large, population-based study of people living in the United States. The researchers compared anxiety levels among four different groups based on their physical activity habits:

• Inactive individuals (no regular exercise)
• Weekend warriors (1–2 exercise sessions per week, meeting weekly activity guidelines)
• Insufficiently active (some exercise but not enough to meet guidelines)
• Regularly active (exercising at least three times per week)

Compared to inactive individuals, weekend warriors had a 35 percent lower risk of anxiety. The benefit was similar to that of those who exercised more frequently, reinforcing that total weekly activity—not how often you work out—is what matters most.

Interestingly, the study also found that people with lower annual incomes and those with diabetes saw even greater reductions in anxiety risk when following a weekend warrior cardio pattern compared to not meeting recommended physical activity guidelines.

Why This Makes Time Management Easier

Many of us struggle to fit aerobic exercise into our daily routines. Between work, family responsibilities, and having a social life, hitting the gym multiple times a week for a time-consuming cardio session is often impossible. Regarding time management, this study suggests you don’t need to do 30+ minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week to support your mental health.

As long as you meet the recommended 150 minutes of moderate cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week, doing it all in one or two sessions can be just as effective for anxiety reduction as spreading it out.

Simply knowing about these research findings can help reduce anxiety for anyone who only has time for weekend workouts—whether it’s hiking on a trail, summiting a mountaintop, going on a long solo bike ride, or enjoying an hours-long Sunday morning walk with a friend. With this knowledge, you don’t have to stress about missing weekday workouts, which can, in turn, increase anxiety.

Instead, just focus on getting enough movement overall, knowing that your weekend workouts can buffer against feeling anxious all week long. Physical activity has long been recognized as a powerful tool for reducing anxiety. The new study adds to existing research by showing that exercise timing is flexible—you don’t need to hit the gym five times a week to see benefits.

Are There Downsides to Being a Weekend Warrior?

While the findings are encouraging, the shock to your system of plunging into high-intensity exercise after a sedentary week can increase injury risk. If you’re new to exercise or haven’t been physically active recently, it’s essential to ease into a weekend workout routine gradually.

Additionally, while weekend workouts can help reduce anxiety, getting some daily movement throughout the week is still important for living longer and overall health.

Even if you can’t fit in long cardio sessions during the week, try incorporating some light physical activity into your weekday routine—like parking farther from your destination and walking or taking the stairs instead of an elevator. And if you sit for long periods, aim to get up and move around for a few minutes every 45 minutes or so.

Take-Home Message

For anyone struggling to fit exercise into a busy schedule, new (2025) research on weekend warriors brings welcome news: You don’t have to work out every day to lower your anxiety risk. If weekend workouts are all your schedule allows, don’t worry. Prioritize getting enough total exercise every seven days, and you’ll still reap significant mental health benefits and lower your risk of anxiety during chaotic, exercise-free weekdays.

Disclaimer: Always talk to your doctor or a healthcare provider before becoming a weekend warrior, especially if you have a history of heart disease or other health conditions.