{"id":280688,"date":"2026-02-12T16:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/280688\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T16:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:00:19","slug":"80k-person-study-reveals-most-effective-exercise-types-for-depression-vs-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/280688\/","title":{"rendered":"80k-person study reveals most effective exercise types for depression vs anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new analysis<\/a> of 63 studies examining the impact of exercise on depression and anxiety in nearly 80,000 participants aged 10-90 has revealed that how you train should change depending on which condition you’re managing.<\/p>\n

The review covered everything from resistance training<\/a> and running<\/a>, to swimming<\/a>, dancing<\/a>, yoga<\/a>, tai chi, but there were clear front-runners for reducing depression and anxiety. <\/p>\n

Depression<\/p>\n

For depression, aerobic exercise including running, walking<\/a> and cycling<\/a> proved most beneficial, with researchers noting that this form of exercise boosted the heart rate and stimulated physiological changes linked to improved mood, endorphin release and neurochemical shifts. <\/p>\n

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise \u2013 i.e. working hard enough to elevate your heart rate and breathing while still being able to speak in short sentences, like a brisk run rather than a gentle stroll \u2013 delivered the strongest results for depression. <\/p>\n

Duration mattered, too. A longer-term programme of more than 24 weeks had the most substantial impact. Medium-term interventions of nine-24 weeks and even short-term programmes of up to eight weeks were still beneficial \u2013 just not quite as powerful as sticking with it for the long haul. <\/p>\n

And reassuringly, you don\u2019t need to train daily to see the effect. The analysis found that training one-two days per week had almost exactly the same impact on depression as training three times weekly.<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s:<\/p>\n

Best type of exercise: AerobicIdeal intensity: ModerateRequired duration for max benefits: Long-term programmes of 24+ weeks Ideal training frequency: One-three weekly workoutsAnxiety<\/p>\n

As for anxiety, aerobic exercise also came out on top \u2013 but intensity told a different story. While moderate intensity training proved best for depression, low-intensity (movement that raises your heart rate slightly, but still feels easy and sustainable) was significantly more effective for reducing anxiety than both moderate and vigorous intensity. In other words, when it comes to calming an overactive, anxious nervous system, gentler movement is more effective than pushing yourself to the limit. <\/p>\n

The optimal timeframe also differed. Unlike depression \u2013 which responded to programmes lasting longer than 24 weeks \u2013 symptoms of anxiety improved within shorter interventions of up to eight weeks. <\/p>\n

Frequency followed a similar pattern. Whereas depression outcomes were similar whether participants trained one to two times per week or three, anxiety improved more when exercise was limited to one to two weekly sessions rather than three. <\/p>\n

So that\u2019s:<\/p>\n

Best type of exercise: AerobicIdeal intensity: LowRequired duration for max benefits: Short-term programmes of up to eight weeks Ideal training frequency: One-two weekly workoutsThe power of group training\"exerciseMoMo Productions\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Training as part of a group amplified benefits for both anxiety and depression<\/p>\n

Both depression and anxiety benefited from group-based training, like spin classes or run clubs, with this type of training having a noticeably stronger effect on depression compared to training alone. The researchers noted: \u2018These outcomes align with research demonstrating exercise\u2019s social support benefits, indicating that the psychological sense of belonging may contribute additional value at both biological and psychosocial levels.\u2019 They added that training as part of a group can also boost motivation, which can boost results, while all types of exercise had the biggest benefits for new mums and young adults.<\/p>\n

So, is exercise an effective treatment? <\/p>\n

The researchers concluded that \u2018the effectiveness of exercise interventions appeared comparable with pharmacological treatments and psychotherapies.\u2019 Given its cost effectiveness, how accessible exercise is and its additional physical health benefits, they suggest exercise could reasonably be considered a \u2018first line intervention\u2019. <\/p>\n

All that said, while the evidence for exercise as a treatment for depression and anxiety is compelling, it\u2019s not a one-size-fits-all solution. For some people \u2013 particularly those with moderate to severe symptoms \u2013 medication and\/or psychological therapy are essential, evidence-based treatments. Yes, exercise can be powerful, but it shouldn\u2019t replace prescribed medication or professional support without medical guidance. If you\u2019re considering changing your treatment plan, speak to your GP or mental health professional first.<\/p>\n

RELATED STORIES\"Headshot<\/p>\n

\u00a0As Women\u2019s Health UK\u2019s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism. She secured her first role at Look Magazine, where her obsession with fitness began and she launched the magazine\u2019s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!. Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner\u2019s World and Red.Now, she oversees all fitness content across womenshealthmag.com.uk<\/a> and the print magazine, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as \u2018Fit At Any Age\u2019, where we showcase the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise. She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks \u2013 all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how.Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram. \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new analysis of 63 studies examining the impact of exercise on depression and anxiety in nearly 80,000…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":280689,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[147290,5218,157199,2117,134,2116,554,555,111,139,69,157198],"class_list":{"0":"post-280688","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-collection-fitness-app","9":"tag-content-type-default","10":"tag-contentid-2d0af9a3-37c4-43f0-bea3-663ff875150e","11":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-locale-gb","14":"tag-mental-health","15":"tag-mentalhealth","16":"tag-new-zealand","17":"tag-newzealand","18":"tag-nz","19":"tag-shorttitle-study-finds-best-exercise-for-depression-anxiety"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=280688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280688\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/280689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=280688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=280688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=280688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}