Objective: This study aimed to predict mental health based on the desire to exercise, with the mediating role of distress tolerance in females.

Methods: This research was applied, and a descriptive-correlational design included all female heads of households under 50 years of age (N = 7479) covered by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee in 2025. The sample consisted of 204 individuals selected through voluntary sampling based on the Krejcie-Morgan table. Data were collected using the Goldberg Mental Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), the Naji Exercise Tendency Questionnaire, and the Simons and Gaher Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS).

Results: The findings indicated that mental health can be predicted based on the desire to exercise, with the mediating role of distress tolerance in female heads of households. The direct effect of desire to exercise on distress tolerance (β = 0.200) and distress tolerance on mental health (β = 0.510) was significant. The indirect effect of desire to exercise on mental health through distress tolerance was 0.102. The Variance Accounted For (VAF) value was 0.267, indicating partial mediation.

Conclusion: The desire to exercise both directly and indirectly influences mental health in female heads of households through distress tolerance. Enhancing distress tolerance skills can serve as an effective mechanism for translating positive exercise attitudes into improved mental health outcomes. These findings have practical implications for designing targeted psychological interventions and support programs for this vulnerable population.