Does Exercise Help With Anxiety?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

Exercise is a viable and effective treatment option for reducing anxiety symptoms. While it may not be as effective as antidepressant medications, it offers significant benefits, especially when combined with other treatments like CBT. High-intensity exercise programs and sessions lasting at least 21 minutes are particularly effective. Exercise is beneficial across various populations, including the elderly, and helps reduce anxiety sensitivity. Further research is needed to refine exercise intervention strategies and understand the mechanisms behind its anxiolytic effects.

Exercise has been increasingly studied as a potential treatment for anxiety disorders. While traditional treatments like medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are commonly used, exercise offers a non-pharmacological alternative that may appeal to many patients. This synthesis examines the effectiveness of exercise in reducing anxiety symptoms based on multiple research studies.

Key Insights

• General Effectiveness of Exercise on Anxiety:
  • Exercise significantly reduces anxiety symptoms compared to control conditions, with moderate to large effect sizes2 4 5 6.
  • Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises are effective in reducing anxiety symptoms1 4.
• Comparison with Traditional Treatments:
  • Exercise is less effective than antidepressant medication but can still significantly reduce anxiety symptoms1.
  • Exercise combined with other treatments, such as antidepressants or CBT, shows added benefits1.
• Intensity and Duration of Exercise:
  • High-intensity exercise programs are more effective than low-intensity programs in reducing anxiety4.
  • Exercise sessions need to be at least 21 minutes long to achieve significant reductions in anxiety8.
• Specific Populations:
  • Exercise is effective in reducing anxiety in both clinical and non-clinical populations, including the elderly4 9 10.
  • Social phobics benefit from exercise when combined with group CBT1.
• Mechanisms and Moderators:
  • Exercise reduces anxiety sensitivity, which mediates its beneficial effects on anxiety and mood5.
  • The type of control condition in studies significantly influences the reported effectiveness of exercise7.

Does exercise help with anxiety?