Aerobic exercise such as running, swimming, or dancing may act as a frontline treatment for mild depression and anxiety, researchers say. A major analysis of 63 reviews covering nearly 80,000 people found that physical activity significantly reduced symptoms, especially in young adults and new mothers.
The findings, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that heart rate-raising aerobic exercise delivered the strongest benefits. Resistance training and yoga also helped, though to a lesser degree. Group or supervised exercise produced even greater improvements, suggesting social connection plays a key role.
Lead researcher Neil Munro of James Cook University said exercise can sometimes match or exceed traditional treatments for mild symptoms. However, experts cautioned that the results mainly apply to mild or subclinical cases.
Brendon Stubbs of King’s College London stressed that people should not stop therapy or medication based on these findings. Michael Bloomfield of University College London added that exercise works best as a complement to established treatments, particularly for those with more severe depression.
