Aerobic Exercise Shows Greatest Potential in Alleviating Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

February 11, 2026

A groundbreaking comprehensive analysis recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has reinforced the powerful role of exercise in alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety. This sweeping umbrella review and meta-meta-analysis synthesized a vast amount of data from numerous prior studies to evaluate the effectiveness of various exercise modalities on mental  health outcomes across diverse age groups and demographic categories. The findings point to aerobic exercise—activities such as running, swimming, and dancing—as especially potent in mitigating depressive and anxious symptoms, often performing on par with or surpassing traditional treatments like medication and psychotherapy.

The researchers conducted an exhaustive search for pooled data analyses derived from randomized controlled trials. These trials compared exercise interventions to various control conditions, including alternative physical activities, placebos, or no intervention at all. Importantly, the study only included well-defined, structured, and repetitive physical activities intended to enhance both physical and mental health. It encompassed all forms, intensities, frequencies, and contexts of exercise participation, whether solitary or group-based, supervised or unsupervised. Science Magazine