Stronger Under Pressure: How Exercise Builds Stress Resilience for Public Safety Personnel

For public safety personnel, stress isn’t just something that shows up now and then; it’s part of the job. Whether you’re walking into a high-pressure call, managing tough decisions, or carrying the emotional load of what you’ve seen, your ability to handle stress directly impacts how you perform and how you feel long-term. One of the most effective ways to build that capacity is physical activity.

The Link Between Stress and Resilience

Stress sets off a chain reaction in the body: our heart rate goes up, blood pressure rises, and hormones like adrenaline and cortisol surge. These responses are crucial in emergencies, but when they persist over time, they can wear you down. Without regular ways to reset, that constant state of alert can lead to burnout, mental fatigue, and health issues (American Psychological Association, 2024).

This is where the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) model comes in. Originally proposed by Hans Selye, GAS describes the body's response to stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Exercise functions within this framework by conditioning the body to move from the alarm stage into the resistance stage more effectively and avoid exhaustion (Selye, 1950). When we train regularly, we expose the body to small, manageable stressors that promote adaptation, increasing our ability to handle future stress with greater resilience.

Not all stress is bad. It can be negative, like work-related pressure, or positive, like the physical challenge of a workout. The great thing about exercise is that it allows us to experience stress in a controlled, beneficial way, helping us manage it more effectively.

How Exercise Builds Stress Resilience

1.      Mimics and moderates the stress response

Exercise activates the same physiological systems in the stress response, like elevated heart rate and hormone production, but in a controlled environment. Over time this “training stress” improves the body’s ability to shift between stress and recovery more smoothly (Childs & de Wit, 2014).

2.      Enhances recovery capacity

Just like you build muscle by recovering from physical exertion, your nervous system builds resilience by recovering from mental exertion. Physical activity supports this process by helping to regulate cortisol, calm the nervous system, and promote neuroplasticity (Peluso & Andrade, 2005; Mandolesi et al., 2018).

3.      Strengthens emotional regulation

Challenging workouts can mirror the emotional demands of your job, such as pushing through fatigue, staying focused under pressure, and tolerating discomfort. That regular practice builds confidence and emotional control (Mandolesi et al., 2018).

4.      Builds cognitive flexibility and focus

Exercise, especially aerobic movement, improves blood flow to the brain, supports memory, decision-making, and the ability to shift mental gears. These are critical skills you need to adapt quickly and make good decisions in high stakes situations (Erickson et al., 2011).

5.      Creates a constructive outlet

Exercise doesn’t eliminate stress, it gives it a new direction. Physical movement provides a tangible way to process tension, release emotions, and reset emotions, reducing the likelihood of unhealthily coping mechanisms (López-Bueno et al., 2020).  Consistent physical activity has been associated with greater psychological flexibility, lower emotional distress, and increased resilience in high stress professions (Lalande et al., 2023).

In public safety, resilience is your most critical asset. Exercise is about more than just physical health, it’s one of the most practical and powerful ways to support your mental well-being, regulate stress, and stay ready for whatever the job demands.

Every time you move, you’re not just training your body, you’re strengthening your ability to think clearly, recover quickly, and keep showing up strong. That’s a win for your health, your team, and the communities you serve.

References:

American Psychological Association. (2024, October 21). Stress effects on the body. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body

Childs, E., & de Wit, H. (2014). Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Physiology, 5, 161. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2014.00161

Erickson, K. I., Voss, M. W., Prakash, R. S., et al. (2011). Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. PNAS, 108(7), 3017–3022. Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory | PNAS

Lalande, D., Ivers, H., Morin, C. M., & Savard, M. H. (2023). Psychological resilience and physical activity in the face of occupational stress: A cross-sectional study. BMC Psychology, 11, 151.

López-Bueno, R., Calatayud, J., Ezzatvar, Y., Casajús, J. A., Smith, L., Andersen, L. L., & López-Sánchez, G. F. (2020). Association between current physical activity and current perceived stress in adults: Data from the 2017–2018 National Health Interview Survey. Health Promotion Perspectives, 10(4), 392–398.

Mandolesi, L., Polverino, A., Montuori, S., et al. (2018). Effects of physical exercise on cognitive functioning and well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 509. Frontiers | Effects of Physical Exercise on Cognitive Functioning and Wellbeing: Biological and Psychological Benefits

Peluso, M. A. M., & Andrade, L. H. S. G. (2005). Physical activity and mental health: The association between exercise and mood. Clinics, 60(1), 61–70. Physical activity and mental health: the association between exercise and mood - PubMed

Selye, H. (1950). Stress and the general adaptation syndrome. British Medical Journal, 1(4667), 1383–1392. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.4667.1383

World Health Organization. (2020). Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128