Lifestyle & Resilience

Why exercise is mental-health medicine

5 min read

Regular movement has antidepressant and anxiolytic effects comparable in size to first-line treatments for mild-to-moderate symptoms.

The dose

WHO recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous, aerobic activity per week, plus two strength sessions. Even short bouts (10 minutes) improve mood acutely.

What the evidence shows

Meta-analyses (including a large 2023 BJSM review) find exercise produces clinically meaningful improvements in depression, anxiety and psychological distress. Effect sizes are largest for higher-intensity activity, but any movement beats none.

Practical starting points

Walking is enough to start. Pair movement with daylight. Build a minimum viable habit (e.g. shoes on, out the door for 10 minutes) before optimising intensity or duration.

Sources & further reading

Groundify summarises publicly available guidance from authoritative bodies. This article is educational and is not a substitute for assessment, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified clinician.