Move Your Health: A review of the scientific evidence on the role of exercise and physical activity on mental health
This report examined 1444 articles published between 1990 and 2020. These included qualitative and correlative studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, case studies and theoretical papers, and clinical trials. These were categorized by type of physical activity, type of mental illness or outcome, number and type of studies in each category, and whether the results were statistically significant or not.
The most important conclusions:
Do exercise and physical activity have a positive effect on mental health?
- Existing scientific research overwhelmingly indicates that exercise and physical activity benefit mental health.
- 89% of all peer-reviewed research found a positive, statistically significant relationship between exercise/physical activity and mental health.
- The optimal type, intensity and duration of physical activity is only partially understood, although some conclusions can be drawn, which are explained here.
How much and how often should I train?
- Overall, three to five 30- to 45-minute moderate to vigorous exercise sessions per week appear to have optimal effects on mental health
- High-frequency exercise (3 to 5 times per week) is better for reducing depressive symptoms than low-frequency exercise (1 time per week)
- More exercise is not always better. There appears to be a U-shaped curve where people who exercise moderately to vigorously 3-5 times a week have better mental health than those who exercise less than three or more than five times a week.
What kind of training?
- High-intensity training sessions are generally more effective than low-intensity training sessions
- Combining or alternating strength/resistance training with cardiovascular/aerobic training shows greater benefits for mental health than either form of training alone.
- Mindfulness-based activities such as yoga and tai chi, although they can be lower-intensity forms of exercise, offer more mental health benefits than running.
- Team sports, cycling and aerobic or gym training are the three main forms of exercise that significantly improve mental health.
Which psychological limitations are most influenced by exercise?
- Exercise is closely linked to overall mental and emotional well-being, including stress reduction, improved mood and quality of life.
- There is evidence that cardiovascular/aerobic exercise reduces depression and symptoms in people with anxiety disorders.
- Yoga and other mindfulness exercises such as Tai Chi and Qigong show strong evidence for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
