Physical Activity and Mental Health: A Narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.53.69867Keywords
physical activity, mental health, depression, anxiety disorders, exercise, health preventionAbstract
Background. Mental health disorders represent a major public health challenge worldwide. Depression and anxiety are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions and are associated with substantial social and economic burden. In recent years, increasing attention has been directed toward non-pharmacological interventions supporting prevention and treatment. Physical activity has emerged as a promising strategy due to its availability, safety, and multidimensional health benefits.
Aim. The aim of this study was to review current scientific literature on the impact of physical activity on mental health, with emphasis on its role in the prevention and treatment of selected mental disorders.
Materials and methods. A narrative literature review was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Publications examining the relationship between physical activity and mental health outcomes were analyzed. The review included randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, focusing on clinical outcomes, biological and psychosocial mechanisms, and exercise-based interventions.
Results. Evidence indicates that regular physical activity is associated with a reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety and with improvements in psychological well-being. Exercise also positively influences cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and executive functioning. Proposed mechanisms include increased neurotrophic factors, modulation of neurotransmitter systems, reduced systemic inflammation, and improved self-esteem and social functioning.
Conclusions. Physical activity represents an important component supporting mental health and may serve as an effective adjunct to standard treatments. Incorporating regular exercise into preventive and therapeutic programs may improve quality of life and reduce burden on healthcare systems.
References
1. Zhang Z, Chen X, Wu S, et al. Global, regional and national burden of anxiety and depression disorders from 1990 to 2021, and forecasts up to 2040. J Affect Disord. 2026;393(Pt A):120299. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2025.120299 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.120299
2. Whiteford HA, Degenhardt L, Rehm J, et al. Global burden of disease attributable to mental and substance use disorders: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2013;382(9904):1575-1586. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61611-6 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61611-6
3. Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Wisniewski SR, et al. Acute and longer-term outcomes in depressed outpatients requiring one or several treatment steps: a STAR*D report. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(11):1905-1917. doi:10.1176/ajp.2006.163.11.1905 https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2006.163.11.1905
4. Cooney GM, Dwan K, Greig CA, et al. Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;2013(9):CD004366. Published 2013 Sep 12. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub6 https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004366.pub6
5. Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Firth J, et al. Physical Activity and Incident Depression: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. Am J Psychiatry. 2018;175(7):631-648. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194 https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194
6. Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-1462. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955 https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
7. Schuch FB, Vancampfort D, Richards J, Rosenbaum S, Ward PB, Stubbs B. Exercise as a treatment for depression: A meta-analysis adjusting for publication bias. J Psychiatr Res. 2016;77:42-51. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.02.023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.02.023
8. Pedersen BK, Saltin B. Exercise as medicine - evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in 26 different chronic diseases. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015;25 Suppl 3:1-72. doi:10.1111/sms.12581 https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12581
9. Gordon BR, McDowell CP, Hallgren M, Meyer JD, Lyons M, Herring MP. Association of Efficacy of Resistance Exercise Training With Depressive Symptoms: Meta-analysis and Meta-regression Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018;75(6):566-576. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0572 https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0572
10. Noetel M, Sanders T, Gallardo-Gómez D, et al. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2024;384:e075847. Published 2024 Feb 14. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-075847 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-075847
11. Erickson KI, Voss MW, Prakash RS, et al. Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011;108(7):3017-3022. doi:10.1073/pnas.1015950108 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1015950108
12. Bandelow B, Michaelis S, Wedekind D. Treatment of anxiety disorders. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2017;19(2):93-107. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelow https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2017.19.2/bbandelow
13. Stein MB, Sareen J. CLINICAL PRACTICE. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(21):2059-2068. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp1502514 https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1502514
14. 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 https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2009.530
15. Rebar AL, Stanton R, Geard D, Short C, Duncan MJ, Vandelanotte C. A meta-meta-analysis of the effect of physical activity on depression and anxiety in non-clinical adult populations. Health Psychol Rev. 2015;9(3):366-378. doi:10.1080/17437199.2015.1022901 https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2015.1022901
16. Tsatsoulis A, Fountoulakis S. The protective role of exercise on stress system dysregulation and comorbidities. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006;1083:196-213. doi:10.1196/annals.1367.020 https://doi.org/10.1196/annals.1367.020
17. Byrne A, Byrne DG. The effect of exercise on depression, anxiety and other mood states: a review. J Psychosom Res. 1993;37(6):565-574. doi:10.1016/0022-3999(93)90050-p https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(93)90050-p
18. Craft LL, Perna FM. The Benefits of Exercise for the Clinically Depressed. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2004;6(3):104-111. doi:10.4088/pcc.v06n0301 https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v06n0301
19. Anderson E, Shivakumar G. Effects of exercise and physical activity on anxiety. Front Psychiatry. 2013;4:27. Published 2013 Apr 23. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00027 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00027
20. Laursen TM, Nordentoft M, Mortensen PB. Excess early mortality in schizophrenia. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2014;10:425-448. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032813-153657 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032813-153657
21. Firth J, Stubbs B, Rosenbaum S, et al. Aerobic Exercise Improves Cognitive Functioning in People With Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Schizophr Bull. 2017;43(3):546-556. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw115 https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbw115
22. Vancampfort D, Rosenbaum S, Ward PB, Stubbs B. Exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness in people with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Res. 2015;169(1-3):453-457. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2015.09.029 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2015.09.029
23. Melo MC, Daher Ede F, Albuquerque SG, de Bruin VM. Exercise in bipolar patients: A systematic review. J Affect Disord. 2016;198:32-38. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2016.03.004 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.03.004
24. Pearce M, Garcia L, Abbas A, et al. Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. 2022;79(6):550-559. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0609 https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0609
25. Babyak M, Blumenthal JA, Herman S, et al. Exercise treatment for major depression: maintenance of therapeutic benefit at 10 months. Psychosom Med. 2000;62(5):633-638. doi:10.1097/00006842-200009000-00006 https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-200009000-00006
26. Szuhany KL, Bugatti M, Otto MW. A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor. J Psychiatr Res. 2015;60:56-64. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.10.003 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.10.003
27. van Praag H, Kempermann G, Gage FH. Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus. Nat Neurosci. 1999;2(3):266-270. doi:10.1038/6368 https://doi.org/10.1038/6368
28. Meeusen R, De Meirleir K. Exercise and brain neurotransmission. Sports Med. 1995;20(3):160-188. doi:10.2165/00007256-199520030-00004 https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199520030-00004
29. Sparling PB, Giuffrida A, Piomelli D, Rosskopf L, Dietrich A. Exercise activates the endocannabinoid system. Neuroreport. 2003;14(17):2209-2211. doi:10.1097/00001756-200312020-00015 https://doi.org/10.1097/00001756-200312020-00015
30. Dishman RK, Berthoud HR, Booth FW, et al. Neurobiology of exercise. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006;14(3):345-356. doi:10.1038/oby.2006.46 https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2006.46
31. Pariante CM, Lightman SL. The HPA axis in major depression: classical theories and new developments. Trends Neurosci. 2008;31(9):464-468. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2008.06.006 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2008.06.006
32. Rimmele U, Zellweger BC, Marti B, et al. Trained men show lower cortisol, heart rate and psychological responses to psychosocial stress compared with untrained men. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2007;32(6):627-635. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.04.005 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.04.005
33. Dowlati Y, Herrmann N, Swardfager W, et al. A meta-analysis of cytokines in major depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2010;67(5):446-457. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.09.033 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.09.033
34. Gleeson M, Bishop NC, Stensel DJ, Lindley MR, Mastana SS, Nimmo MA. The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise: mechanisms and implications for the prevention and treatment of disease. Nat Rev Immunol. 2011;11(9):607-615. Published 2011 Aug 5. doi:10.1038/nri3041 https://doi.org/10.1038/nri3041
35. Lubans D, Richards J, Hillman C, et al. Physical Activity for Cognitive and Mental Health in Youth: A Systematic Review of Mechanisms. Pediatrics. 2016;138(3):e20161642. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1642 https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-1642
36. Fox KR. The influence of physical activity on mental well-being. Public Health Nutr. 1999;2(3A):411-418. doi:10.1017/s1368980099000567 https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980099000567
37. Strasser B, Siebert U, Schobersberger W. Resistance training in the treatment of the metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of resistance training on metabolic clustering in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism. Sports Med. 2010;40(5):397-415. doi:10.2165/11531380-000000000-00000 https://doi.org/10.2165/11531380-000000000-00000
38. Tao Y, Lu J, Lv J, Zhang L. Effects of high-intensity interval training on depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychosom Res. 2024;180:111652. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111652 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111652
39. Bang-Kittilsen G, Engh JA, Holst R, et al. High-intensity interval training may reduce depressive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia, putatively through improved VO2max: A randomized controlled trial. Front Psychiatry. 2022;13:921689. Published 2022 Aug 4. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.921689 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.921689
40. Carter T, Morres ID, Meade O, Callaghan P. The Effect of Exercise on Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(7):580-590. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.016 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2016.04.016
41. Korczak DJ, Madigan S, Colasanto M. Children's Physical Activity and Depression: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2017;139(4):e20162266. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2266 https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2266
42. Bridle C, Spanjers K, Patel S, Atherton NM, Lamb SE. Effect of exercise on depression severity in older people: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Psychiatry. 2012;201(3):180-185. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.111.095174 https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.111.095174
43. Herring MP, Puetz TW, O'Connor PJ, Dishman RK. Effect of exercise training on depressive symptoms among patients with a chronic illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(2):101-111. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.696 https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.696
44. Craft LL, Vaniterson EH, Helenowski IB, Rademaker AW, Courneya KS. Exercise effects on depressive symptoms in cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012;21(1):3-19. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-11-0634 https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-11-0634
45. Davenport MH, McCurdy AP, Mottola MF, et al. Impact of prenatal exercise on both prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(21):1376-1385. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-099697 https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099697
46. Riebe D, Franklin BA, Thompson PD, et al. Updating ACSM's Recommendations for Exercise Preparticipation Health Screening. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015;47(11):2473-2479. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000664 https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000664
47. Glowacki K, Duncan MJ, Gainforth H, Faulkner G. Barriers and facilitators to physical activity and exercise among adults with depression: A scoping review. Ment Health Phys Act. 2017;13:108-119. doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2017.10.001 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2017.10.001
48. Rosenbaum S, Tiedemann A, Sherrington C, Curtis J, Ward PB. Physical activity interventions for people with mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry. 2014;75(9):964-974. doi:10.4088/JCP.13r08765 https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.13r08765
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Paweł Czechowicz, Justyna Czechowicz, Mikołaj Antkiewicz, Aleksandra Arczyńska-Antkiewicz, Maria Drozd, Paulina Łobaza, Martyna Kudła, Agata Krawczyk, Natalia Pawełczak, Dorota Kołkowicz, Julia Kociuba, Zuzanna Kruczek
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 188
Number of citations: 0
