Exercise for depression and anxiety

Moving your body is one of the best-studied ways to ease depression and anxiety. Hundreds of trials have tested walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, dance and tai chi. Most found that people felt better.^1,3

Exercise is not a cure, and it does not replace care for serious depression. But it is free or low cost, it helps the body too, and you can start small. This page explains what the research shows, how much movement helps, and how to begin safely if you are older or live with a health condition.

What the research shows for depression

In 2024, the medical journal BMJ published one of the largest reviews so far. It pulled together 218 trials with more than 14,000 adults who had depression. It compared many kinds of exercise with each other and with other treatments.¹

The main findings, in plain words:¹

• Many kinds of exercise helped. Walking or jogging, yoga, strength training, mixed aerobic exercise (like cycling or classes), and tai chi or qigong all eased depression compared with control groups.
• Dance showed the biggest effect, but only a few small trials tested it. So that result is less certain.
• Walking or jogging, yoga and strength training had the most support overall.
• Harder effort worked better. Vigorous exercise, like running, helped more than light activity. But light activity, like walking or gentle yoga, still helped.
• People stuck with yoga and strength training more often than they stuck with the comparison activities.
• Results were similar whether depression was mild or more severe, and whether or not people had other health problems.

How big was the effect? Walking or jogging had a moderate effect. In this review, it was about as large as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and larger than antidepressant medicine alone. Adding exercise to an antidepressant also worked well.¹ But these comparisons came from different trials, not head-to-head tests. Please do not use them as a reason to stop a medicine. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.

Why we rate the evidence "moderate"

There are a lot of trials, and they point the same way. That is why exercise earns a moderate badge. But many trials were small. People always know whether they are exercising, so trials cannot hide who got what. The BMJ authors rated their confidence as low for walking and very low for the other types.¹

Another 2023 review of 41 trials found a large benefit. It found stronger results when a trained person led or supervised the exercise. Effects were also slightly larger in groups.² A U.K. national guideline lists a group exercise program among its treatment choices for less severe depression. It usually means more than one session a week for about 10 weeks, led by a trained practitioner.⁵

What the research shows for anxiety

Fewer trials looked at anxiety, but the picture is similar. A 2023 overview combined 97 reviews covering more than 1,000 trials. Physical activity eased anxiety by a medium amount, about the same as it eased depression.³

For anxiety, moderate and vigorous activity helped more than light activity. Stretching, yoga and other mind-body exercise did especially well.³ U.S. guidelines also note that activity can lower anxiety right away, on the same day you do it.⁶ Most of the reviews in this overview were rated low quality, so more careful research is still needed.³

If anxiety is your main concern, you might pair movement with calming skills like the cyclic sigh or tai chi. See self-help for anxiety for more ideas.

Can exercise help prevent depression?

It seems to. A 2022 study pooled 15 long-term studies of about 191,000 people.⁴

• People who did half the recommended amount of activity had about an 18% lower risk of depression than inactive people.
• People who did the full recommended amount had about a 25% lower risk.
• The biggest gain came from going from nothing to something. Doing more than the guidelines added only a little.

These studies show a link, not proof. People who are already depressed may move less. Still, the pattern is strong, and it fits with the trial results.

Which kind of exercise should you choose?

The best exercise is the one you will keep doing. Research supports many choices, so pick what fits your body, budget and interests.

The BMJ review saw hints that yoga worked a bit better in older adults, and strength training a bit better in younger adults. The authors warned that these hints are uncertain.¹ So older adults should not skip strength work. It matters for staying strong and steady on your feet.

How much is enough?

U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines for adults, including adults 65 and older, suggest:^6,7,8

Short bouts count. There is no longer a rule that activity must last at least 10 minutes at a time.⁶

How hard is "moderate"? Use the talk test. During moderate activity, you can talk but you cannot sing. During vigorous activity, you can only say a few words before you need a breath.⁸

If 150 minutes sounds like a lot, start where you are. Even half that amount was linked to less depression.⁴ In one large overview, programs of 12 weeks or less showed the biggest benefits.³ Give yourself a few weeks before you judge how it is going.

Starting safely with health conditions

Most people with long-term conditions can exercise, and it often helps the condition too. For example, activity can ease osteoarthritis pain and slow the progress of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.⁶ The key is to start slowly and build up.⁹

Talk with your doctor first if you have heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or another chronic condition. Ask which activities are safe for you and how hard you should push.¹⁰ It also helps to ask whether any of your medicines change how you should exercise.

Some condition-specific tips:⁹

• Arthritis: Low-impact choices like swimming, cycling and tai chi are easier on joints. If a joint is swollen or inflamed, work a different body part for a day or two.
• Diabetes: Daily activity like walking can improve blood sugar. Make a plan with your health care team.
• COPD (long-term lung disease): Ask about pulmonary rehabilitation, a supervised program that teaches safe exercise and breathing.
• Osteoporosis (thin, weak bones): Weight-bearing exercise like walking, plus strength and balance work, can help protect bones and prevent falls.
• Heart disease: Serious heart problems during exercise are rare. They happen mostly in people who already have heart disease, during hard effort, and in people who are less fit. Your doctor can help you build up slowly and safely.¹⁰

If something does not feel right or hurts, stop and get medical advice.⁹ Tell your doctor about any chest pain or dizziness during activity.¹⁰

If you are older or have trouble moving

Be as active as your abilities and health allow. Some activity is better than none.⁷ Chair exercises, water exercise and short indoor walks all count. If you worry about falling, start with strength and balance training and see our page on preventing falls. Exercise also supports thinking and memory. See exercise for brain health.

Exercise as part of a treatment plan

Exercise works best as one part of care, not a replacement for it. Many people use it alongside therapy, medicine or both.¹ Tell your doctor or therapist you are starting. They can help you track whether your mood is improving, for example with the check-in tool.

Get professional help soon if:

• Your low mood or worry lasts more than two weeks, or keeps you from daily tasks.
• You cannot get started at all, even with small steps. That can be a sign of more severe depression, which needs treatment. See treatment for depression.
• You have thoughts of death or suicide. Call or text 988 any time, day or night, to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. You can also make a safety plan.

Depression and anxiety are treatable at any age. Learn more in depression in later life, anxiety in later life, and self-help for depression.

In this section

• A 12-week walking plan for mood: a week-by-week plan, with changes for older adults and people with chronic illness.
• Strength and balance training for older adults: a simple home routine with chair options, and what the falls-prevention research shows.

In this section

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.