"You Do 'This' Every Day and Your Face Is Glowing!"...Analysis of 80,000 People

A large-scale study has found that aerobic exercises such as running, swimming, and dancing

are the most effective for alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety.

An analysis of more than 80,000 people showed that exercise produced improvements

that were similar to, or even greater than, those of medication or talk therapy.

British Journal of Sports Medicine

- Research team led by Professor Neil Richard Munro at James Cook University, Australia

Gemini generated video

Although many studies have reported that exercise can be as effective as psychotherapy or medication,

differences in effectiveness by age group, frequency, and intensity

had not been clearly established.

To address this, the researchers comprehensively examined the impact of exercise type, duration, frequency, intensity,

and whether the exercise was supervised, without restricting participants by age or clinical diagnosis.

They found that all types of exercise

significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.

In particular, aerobic exercise showed the greatest alleviating effect on both conditions.

The effect on improving depression was especially pronounced among young adults aged 18 to 30

and women in the postpartum period.

There was also a tendency for symptom reduction to be greater

when people exercised in groups under professional guidance than when they exercised alone.

By contrast, for alleviating anxiety symptoms,

a relatively short duration of low-intensity exercise performed consistently was found to be more effective

than long sessions of high-intensity exercise.

Aerobic exercise, resistance training, mind-body exercise, and combined exercise all showed moderate levels of improvement.

With up to 1 in 4 people worldwide estimated to experience depression or anxiety,

this study suggests that exercise

can serve as a practical alternative, not just an adjunct, to conventional treatment.

"Considering cost, accessibility, and its benefits for physical health,

exercise can be a first-line treatment in settings where traditional mental health care is hard to access."

"However, it is necessary to design personalized programs tailored to each individual's condition."

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