Personality Traits Predict Exercise Enjoyment and Stress Relief

A recent study from University College London (UCL), led by Hannah R. Sargeant, Daniel Davis, and Neeltje van Hout, and published in Frontiers in Psychology, shows something powerful: our personality traits predict the types of exercise we enjoy and how much stress relief we get from them [1].

In an 8-week home-based cycling and strength training intervention (or a resting control group), researchers assessed both baseline personality (using the “Big Five” model) and fitness, asked participants to rate their enjoyment of each session, and measured stress levels.

What emerged is not only that “one-size-fits-all” exercise prescriptions are suboptimal — but that colleges and universities gain a significant advantage when they factor in personality and predisposition for certain activities.  

For institutions committed to improving mental health, resilience, and retention, the takeaway is clear: personality-aligned support leads to more personal, more effective, and more sustainable wellbeing outcomes.

Key Patterns — How Personality Traits Align With Exercise

Here are some of the most notable patterns from the study and related coverage:

Extraversion  
People scoring high on extraversion tended to enjoy high-intensity workouts the most, and rated these sessions as more enjoyable than lower intensity ones.  

Neuroticism  
Those high in neuroticism were less likely to enjoy sustained, high-intensity activities, and were the group that gained the most stress-reduction benefits from the aerobic training.  

Conscientiousness  
Highly conscientious individuals showed higher baseline fitness and more consistent weekly activity, regardless of the type of workout.

Structure, routine, and clear goals appear to matter more than novelty.

Agreeableness & Openness  
While the associations for these traits were weaker, the broader trends suggest that people high in openness may enjoy variety and flexibility in activity types (e.g. mixing strength, cycling, perhaps creative movement), whereas agreeable people may gravitate toward more social or cooperative, lower-intensity or steady-pace activities.  

Implications for Higher-Education Institutions

For colleges and universities — especially those responsible for students wellbeing and resilience — these findings should be a call to action.

More precise wellbeing and activity programs:  

By integrating personality or psychosocial data, institutions can tailor programs that resonate with different students:

• High-intensity group classes for extroverts

• Low-pressure, flexible activities for students who score higher on neuroticism

• Routine-based fitness paths for conscientious students

• Creative, varied formats for open individuals

This moves campuses beyond generic “go to the gym” messaging — toward meaningful, student-centered support.

Better mental health and belonging support:  

Given the clear link between exercise enjoyment and stress reduction — especially for those prone to anxiety or emotional stress — tailoring programs to personality profiles may lead to greater mental health benefits. This could help reduce non-academic dropouts, improve satisfaction, and support student success.

Scalable, data-informed intervention strategy:  
Rather than guessing what “works” for students, institutions can use data-driven insights to offer targeted support. This helps scale support efforts without overloading staff — a major benefit for the teams running residence life, student housing, and student services.

Why This Matters — Especially in High-Stress, High-Change Environments

Physical activity is one of the strongest protective factors against stress, depression, and anxiety. But the real opportunity is in matching the right activity to the right student.

In college, a high-stress, high-change environment, this matters even more. Students face academic pressure, social adjustments, and emotional challenges. Enjoyable, personality-aligned physical activity can become a stabilizing force:

• Better coping during stressful periods

• Improved resilience and mood

• Stronger sense of control and confidence

• Healthier relationships with peers

In Short: ‍

Understanding who students are, and designing wellbeing around those insights, can significantly improve stress relief, engagement, and persistence.  

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Citation

[1] Sargeant, H. R., Davis, D., & van Hout, N. (2025). Personality traits predict enjoyment and stress responses to exercise: Findings from an 8-week home-based training study. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1587472/full

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