Aerobic exercise such as running, swimming or dancing can serve as a frontline treatment for mild depression and anxiety, researchers say. A large analysis of 63 reviews covering nearly 80,000 people found the strongest improvements in young adults and new mothers, groups at higher risk of mental health problems. The findings were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Workouts that raised heart rate delivered the biggest benefits for depression, while resistance training and yoga had smaller effects. Anxiety also improved, particularly with shorter, low-intensity programmes. Group and supervised exercise produced greater gains, suggesting social connection plays a key role in reducing symptoms.
Neil Munro of James Cook University said exercise can match or even exceed traditional treatments for mild cases. However, experts including Brendon Stubbs of King’s College London and Michael Bloomfield of University College London stressed that exercise should complement, not replace, therapy or medication, especially for people with severe depression.
