A Single Workout Can Reduce Cigarette Cravings by a Half-Hour

Bad Habit: Smoking cigarettes is bad for your health. That much is fact. Yet, according to the most recent data, nearly 10% of U.S. adults still smoke them. That’s an all-time low — and a testament to public health efforts aimed at tobacco cessation — but it shows that bad habits die hard. Thankfully for those who still smoke, new research shows an unexpected healthy habit may help reduce cravings. 

The Study: Published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science in April 2026, a new report looked at the effects of exercise on cigarette smoking habits, including cravings and abstinence. The systematic review included 59 studies and determined that exercise increases the likelihood of achieving long-term abstinence, reduces cigarette consumption by about two cigarettes per day, and reduces cigarette cravings for up to 30 minutes post-exercise. 

The Takeaway: You may not be able to out-exercise a bad diet, but it appears you can out-exercise a cigarette craving — and use physical activity as a tool for quitting. 

Keep in Mind: The study didn’t show a link between exercise and long-term cravings, and the certainty of evidence for abstinence was rated as low due to heterogeneity in the data. Also, this review didn’t look at use of vaping or e-cigarettes, so the findings don’t necessarily apply.