Exercise can make us feel good, and according to recent research, it plays a decisive role in reducing anxiety and depression. A new review from the Cochrane Collaboration adds even more weight to that message.
Researchers analyzed 73 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 5,000 people living with depression. Their conclusion was striking: exercise can be just as effective as medication or psychotherapy for reducing depressive symptoms. For many individuals, it works alongside other treatments to enhance their overall well‑being. Exercise supports healthy neurotransmitter function, including serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, the same chemical messengers targeted by many antidepressant medications.
Exercise helps the body work through the stress response that often shows up with anxiety.
When a stress cycle gets interrupted, after a tough meeting, an argument with your teen, or a traffic jam that makes you late, your system can stay stuck on high alert. That ongoing tension makes it harder for the body to stay balanced and can raise cortisol levels.
Movement gives the body a reset.
It boosts serotonin and dopamine, helps rebalance hormones, and lifts mood. If you’ve ever felt clearer or lighter after moving, that’s real. Research consistently shows that exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve mood and ease lingering stress. By briefly mimicking the fight‑or‑flight response, movement helps the body complete the stress cycle so endorphins rise, stress hormones fall, and the nervous system can settle again.
Importantly, completing the stress cycle doesn’t require long or intense workouts. Short bursts of movement, a brisk five‑minute walk, a minute of jumping jacks, or a few minutes of tai chi, are often enough to shift the body out of a stress response and back toward balance.
For long‑term anxiety management, enjoyment is essential, and consistency matters more than intensity.
Working with a Health and Wellness Coach can help clients feel a sense of ownership over their plan and reduce anxiety about the unknown. Coaches reinforce predictable routines, gradual progression, and awareness of how medications may affect energy or performance. Exercise is framed as a healthy stressor—something that gently builds tolerance and resilience over time.
Because every individual is different, the goal is to find movement that feels enjoyable, doable, and sustainable. Coaches encourage experimentation with other types of exercise as a learning process rather than a test, helping clients discover what works for them. During periods of distress, when motivation and energy may be low, coaches help identify barriers and create realistic alternatives. Coaches often challenge all‑or‑none thinking (for example, “If I can’t make it to cycling class, nothing else counts”) by helping clients build a menu of backup options. Setting achievable goals and providing consistent follow‑up strengthens confidence and supports long‑term adherence.
Conclusions
Exercise can be a safe, cost-effective, and accessible strategy for reducing anxiety symptoms across diverse populations, including sedentary individuals and those with chronic illness. And during busy, stressful seasons like the holidays, even small amounts of movement can help regulate mood, support digestion, and keep energy steady. Working with a Health and Wellness Coach can help you get started managing your stress.
Check out ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine® handout on “Exercising with Anxiety and Depression.”:
EIM Rx series_Exercising with Anxiety and Depression_2.pdf
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References:
Exercise relieves depression as effectively as medication, study finds: NPR.
Herring MP, O’Connor PJ, Dishman RK. The Effect of Exercise Training on Anxiety Symptoms Among Patients: A Systematic Review. Arch Intern Med. 2010;170(4):321–331. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.530
Cooper, Stephanie L. Ph.D., ACSM-CEP. PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR MENTAL WELL-BEING. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal 24(3):p 12-16, 5/6 2020. | DOI: 10.1249/FIT.0000000000000569
Herring MP, Lindheimer JB, O’Connor PJ. The Effects of Exercise Training on Anxiety. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2013;8(6):388-403. doi:10.1177/1559827613508542
Hathaway, Liz Ph.D., MPH, M.Ed.; Greenspoon, Lauren A. M.S. Fight, Flight, or Fitness: Exercise as a Tool to Complete the Stress Cycle and Help Manage Anxiety. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal 29(6):p 51-54, 11/12 2025. | DOI: 10.1249/FIT.0000000000001100
