Exercise May Ease Anxiety & Depression: What Major Research Reveals

By Grant Frost · Physiotherapist • Last clinically reviewed: 27 September 2026

If you're navigating depression or anxiety, you've probably heard that exercise can help. But there is a big difference between saying "exercise is good for your mental health" and understanding what happens when exercise is actually prescribed as part of treatment for people with a clinical diagnosis.

A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing looked specifically at this question. The researchers examined randomised controlled trials involving adults diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety to investigate whether aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, or a combination of both could reduce symptoms.

The findings add to the evidence that exercise can play an important role in managing depression and anxiety. Perhaps just as importantly, they suggest that the benefits are not limited to one particular type of exercise.

What Did the Study Investigate?

The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials investigating prescribed exercise in adults aged 18 to 64 who had a clinical diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety.

The review included 32 randomised controlled trials involving 3,243 participants across 17 countries and five continents. Of these, 26 studies involving 2,681 participants contributed data to the meta-analyses.

The researchers were specifically interested in three forms of exercise:

• Aerobic exercise - such as walking, cycling or other sustained cardiovascular activities.
• Resistance exercise - such as weight training or other forms of strength training.
• Mixed exercise - a combination of aerobic and resistance training.

Importantly, the review focused on prescribed exercise. General advice to be more physically active was not enough to meet the study's inclusion criteria.

What Did the Study Find?

The overall findings were encouraging for both depression and anxiety.

Across 25 studies assessing depressive symptoms, the authors classified a large effect favouring exercise.

For anxiety, 11 studies contributed to the pooled analysis, which the authors classified as a moderate effect favouring exercise.

Does the Type of Exercise Matter?

One of the most interesting questions behind the review was whether one form of exercise was clearly better than another.

For depressive symptoms, the researchers found that the beneficial effect was not significantly influenced by whether the exercise was aerobic, resistance-based or a combination of both.

That is potentially useful because it means there may not be a single "best" form of exercise for depression.

For anxiety, the authors reported some influence of exercise mode. Their clinical interpretation was that resistance exercise, or a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise, could be prescribed for people with anxiety. However, they also emphasised that the anxiety analysis was based on fewer studies, so these findings should be interpreted with more caution.

How Much Exercise Is Needed?

This is where the research becomes particularly interesting.

Current WHO guidelines recommend adults complete 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, along with muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days per week.

However, the researchers found that only three of the 30 studies considered in their analysis of weekly physical activity guidelines met the WHO recommendations for both volume and intensity of aerobic and resistance exercise.

Despite this, the overall meta-analysis still found meaningful improvements in depressive and anxiety symptoms.

What it does suggest is that people shouldn't necessarily assume that exercise is only worthwhile once they can achieve a full set of physical activity guidelines.

For someone experiencing depression or anxiety, that distinction could be important. Starting with an achievable amount of structured movement may be considerably more realistic than trying to immediately reach an ambitious target.

Why Might Exercise Help Mental Health?

This review was designed to determine whether exercise improves symptoms, rather than to establish exactly why it works.

That means we need to be careful about claiming that a particular biological mechanism explains the findings.

There are, however, several plausible reasons why structured exercise may influence mental health. Physical activity can provide regular routine, opportunities for mastery and achievement, social interaction and gradual exposure to activities that may otherwise be avoided.

Exercise can also improve physical fitness and may influence how people perceive their physical capabilities and confidence.

What Are the Limitations of the Research?

The results are encouraging, but there are several reasons to interpret them carefully.

• The exercise programs varied considerably: The included trials differed in exercise type, intensity, frequency, duration, supervision and other program characteristics. This makes it difficult to identify one ideal exercise prescription.
• The anxiety evidence was smaller: Fewer studies contributed to the anxiety meta-analysis than to the depression analysis. The authors specifically recommend caution when interpreting these findings.
• Some methodological limitations were present: The authors noted baseline imbalances in some studies and incomplete reporting of exercise prescription and statistical methods.
• The review focused on adults aged 18 to 64: The findings should not automatically be generalised to children, adolescents or older adults.
• Exercise is not necessarily a replacement for other treatment: The findings support exercise as a treatment option that can be used alone or alongside usual care, but they do not establish that someone should discontinue medication, psychological therapy or other appropriate treatment.

What Does This Research Mean for You?

Perhaps the most useful takeaway is that exercise doesn't need to look one particular way to potentially help.

If you're dealing with depression or anxiety, the research supports several forms of structured exercise. That creates an opportunity to choose something that fits your current physical abilities, interests, circumstances and preferences.

1. Start where you are. You don't need to immediately achieve every physical activity guideline. An achievable starting point may be more useful than an ambitious plan that quickly becomes unsustainable.
2. Choose something you can realistically maintain. Walking, cycling, swimming, resistance training or a combination may all be reasonable options.
3. Give the exercise some structure. The research examined prescribed exercise rather than simply telling people to be more active. A clear plan can make it easier to build consistency.
4. Progress gradually. Your starting point should reflect your current capacity, particularly if you have been inactive for some time.
5. Think of exercise as one part of the bigger picture. Exercise can be incorporated alongside appropriate psychological, medical and social support rather than viewed in isolation.

Need Personalised Guidance for Your Training or Recovery?

If you'd like help uncovering the underlying cause of your pain or dysfunction, consider booking an online Telehealth consultation with Grant. Learn more about our physiotherapy services in Port Macquarie.

Want personalised guidance?

If you'd like help with any persistent issue, you can book with Grant either in Port Macquarie or via an online telehealth consultation.

Book In-Person (Port Macquarie) Book Online Telehealth Consultation