When mice under long-term stress and with clogged arteries get to run on a wheel, their body produces a protein that calms down harmful immune cells, which helps reduce artery inflammation and keeps plaques from becoming dangerous.

If you have heart disease and feel really stressed, working out regularly might help your body produce more of a brain-friendly chemical and reduce harmful inflammation in your blood.

When mice with hardened arteries and ongoing stress get regular exercise, their artery plaques become smaller and more stable, thanks to a specific biological switch being turned off.