The Science-Backed Benefits of Exercise for Depression and Anxiety

The Science-Backed Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health

When you’re living with depression or anxiety, exercise can feel like the last thing you have the energy for. I know this firsthand. During my own healing journey, movement felt daunting, yet it became one of the most important tools in helping me feel like myself again.

What first caught my attention was research suggesting that exercise can be as effective, sometimes even more effective, than antidepressant medication for reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. At the time, I was intrigued but skeptical. Still, I was desperate for something that might help.

I didn’t start with intense workouts or rigid routines. I started small. I began taking my dog on short walks a couple of times a week. That was it. Over time, something shifted. My mood slowly began to lift. My thoughts felt a little less heavy. I felt more connected to my body, and to life.

Science helps explain why.

Research shows that regular physical activity supports mental health by increasing the release of feel-good chemicals like endorphins and dopamine, which play a role in mood regulation. Exercise also helps reduce stress hormones and supports healthier sleep, both of which are often disrupted by depression and anxiety (Clegg et al., 2026).

Beyond brain chemistry, movement helps regulate the nervous system. Gentle, consistent exercise signals safety to the body, helping it move out of chronic stress and into a more balanced state. This is especially important for those of us whose anxiety or depression developed in response to trauma or prolonged emotional strain.

Perhaps most importantly, exercise offers a sense of agency and hope. Each walk, stretch, or moment of movement becomes a reminder that healing doesn’t require perfection, just small, compassionate steps forward.

How to Start When You’re Exhausted

When depression, anxiety, or trauma live in the body, exhaustion isn’t laziness; it’s a nervous system that’s been working overtime. Starting an exercise routine in this state requires compassion, not pressure.

A trauma-informed approach to movement focuses on gentleness, choice, and safety. Rather than asking, “How hard should I push myself?” a better question is, “What feels possible today?”

Here are a few supportive ways to begin:

• Start with very small movements, like a five-minute walk, gentle stretching, or standing outside for fresh air
• Choose activities that feel soothing or neutral, not punishing
• Let consistency matter more than intensity
• Allow rest days without guilt; rest is part of healing

Movement doesn’t need to look like a workout to be effective. Even brief, low-impact activity can help regulate the nervous system, improve mood, and build trust with your body again.One of my favorites when I was starting out is Yoga with Adriene on YouTube.

Over time, as your body begins to feel safer, energy often returns naturally. What starts as a few minutes of movement can slowly grow into something that feels supportive rather than draining.

Healing happens when we listen to the body, not when we force it.

Exercise as Mindfulness and an Act of Self-Love

When we approach exercise through the lens of mindfulness and self-love, movement stops being about changing the body and starts becoming about caring for it. This shift is especially important for those of us healing from depression, anxiety, or trauma, where our body may feel unsafe, disconnected, or exhausted.

Mindful movement invites you to pay attention to how your body feels rather than how it looks or performs. It might mean noticing your breath during a walk, feeling your feet connect with the ground, or gently acknowledging when your body needs rest. These moments of awareness help rebuild trust with yourself, one sensation at a time.

Exercise, in this context, becomes a practice of self-compassion. You’re not moving to punish yourself or “fix” what’s wrong, you’re moving because your body deserves care, support, and kindness. Even short walks, stretching, or slow, intentional movement can be a way of saying, I’m listening to you.

From a healing perspective, this combination of mindfulness and movement helps regulate the nervous system while reinforcing a deeper message: you are worthy of care exactly as you are. Over time, these small acts of self-love accumulate, creating a foundation for resilience, emotional balance, and lasting well-being.

This mindset shift, from pushing the body to caring for it, is something we explore more deeply in The Magic of Self-Love, where healing is rooted in mindfulness, self-compassion, and nervous system awareness.

When exercise is guided by mindfulness and compassion, it becomes less about discipline and more about connection, and that’s where real healing begins.

My journey with exercise has been full of stops, starts, and learning to begin again. There have been times when movement felt impossible, and others when it became a lifeline. Over time, I’ve learned how much my mental health depends on gentle, consistent movement. I’m proud to share that I’ve now been active at least three days a week for over a year, and I truly believe that if I can find my way here, you can too.

All my love,

Shanna

Clegg, A. J., Hill, J. E., Mullin, D. S., Harris, C., Smith, C. J., Lightbody, C. E., Dwan, K., Cooney, G. M., Mead, G. E., & Watkins, C. L. (2026). Exercise for depression. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews