Want to Feel Better? Move More After Work: What Science Says About Physical Activity and Happiness

Linda Baulecke
Jun 13
2 min read

After a long day at work, what do most of us do? If you're like the majority of working adults, you probably default to passive leisure activities like watching TV or scrolling on your phone. But new research says we might be missing out on a powerful well-being booster: leisure-time physical activity (LTPA).

A 2018 meta-analysis published in The Journal of Positive Psychology by Wiese, Kuykendall, and Tay systematically examined whether moving your body after work is more than just good for your health - it could also boost your happiness. And the results are in: yes, it does.

The Research in a Nutshell

The authors reviewed 12 studies, encompassing over 2,000 working adults, to assess how LTPA (like walking, running, team sports, or gym workouts) relates to subjective well-being (SWB) - a combination of how happy we feel (positive affect), how often we feel bad (negative affect), and how satisfied we are with our lives.

Here’s what they found:

Positive Affect: Stronger link (r = 0.21)
Life Satisfaction: Small but significant link (r = 0.12)
Negative Affect: No clear link (r = -0.05)

Translation? More movement in your free time makes you feel better and more satisfied—but doesn’t necessarily reduce your bad moods.

Why Does Physical Activity Improve Well-Being?

The researchers dive into three psychological and biological explanations:

Effort-Recovery Theory: Work drains mental and emotional resources. LTPA, by engaging different systems (muscles vs. mind), helps replenish them.
Psychological Detachment & Flow: Exercise can help you “switch off” from work. It promotes flow state, those moments when you’re so absorbed in an activity that time flies.
Need Fulfillment: LTPA satisfies key psychological needs: autonomy (you choose it), mastery (you improve at it), and meaning (you feel accomplished). According to the DRAMMA model, these needs are essential for well-being.
Biological Boosts: Physical activity increases “happy chemicals” like serotonin and dopamine, and may even boost mood through mechanisms like increased body temperature (thermogenic hypothesis).

But What About Negative Feelings?

Interestingly, LTPA wasn’t significantly linked to a decrease in negative emotions. Why?

It might protect against negative affect rather than directly reduce it.
Fulfilled needs like mastery/autonomy seem to impact positive emotions more than they reduce negative ones.
The type or intensity of activity could matter (e.g., structured classes vs. casual recreation).

This means that while you might not immediately feel less bad, you’re likely to feel more good after being physically active.