02/16/2026
Some may say that we live in an age of anxiety, with mental health issues being more common and openly reported than at any other time in history. There is also an abundance of treatment options available that claim to alleviate these issues, which can make it difficult to know what's best. Certain interventions may be more effective for certain individuals, but according to a recently published review, aerobic exercise like running, swimming, and biking may be most effective for relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety. Supervised and group exercise was found to be best for reducing depression, while shorter (up to eight weeks), lower intensity exercise appeared to be best for relieving anxiety symptoms.
Aerobic exercise, such as running, swimming, and dancing, may be most effective for relieving the symptoms of depression and anxiety, finds an overarching (umbrella) review and data synthesis of the available evidence, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.