The case for exercise & how it changes your mood: A medication-free treatment for depression and anxiety

Exercise has been researched as a medication-free treatment for many mental health concerns, including depression and anxiety, along with pychotherapy, sunlight exposure, time in nature, good diet and staying hydrated.

If you’ve ever gone for a walk after a tough day and felt your shoulders drop or your thoughts start to untangle, you’ve already experienced one of the most powerful tools we have for regulating mood: movement.

As a psychologist, I often talk about exercise not as a “should,” but as a form of emotional hygiene — a way to help your mind find balance and your body find release. You don’t have to love working out or commit to an intense fitness routine to feel the benefits. What matters most is consistency, self-compassion, and choosing forms of movement that feel supportive to you.

Let’s look at what’s actually happening in your brain and body when you move — and why it can make such a difference for depression, anxiety, and overall emotional wellbeing.

Movement Changes Your Brain Chemistry

When you move your body, your brain responds immediately. Exercise triggers a cascade of neurochemical reactions that directly impact your mood and stress response.

• Endorphins: These are your brain’s natural painkillers and mood boosters. When you move — even for 10–15 minutes — endorphins increase, helping reduce tension and bring a sense of calm.

• Serotonin and dopamine: Regular physical activity boosts the availability of these neurotransmitters, which regulate mood, focus, and motivation. Both serotonin and dopamine levels are often disrupted in depression and anxiety; movement helps restore balance.

• BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor): Think of this as “brain fertilizer.” Exercise increases BDNF, which supports neuron growth and protects your brain against stress-related damage.

Research consistently supports this connection. A 2022 meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry found that individuals who exercised regularly had a 25% lower risk of developing depression, and those already experiencing depression reported symptom reductions comparable to antidepressant treatment — especially when exercise was moderate and consistent.

This doesn’t mean exercise replaces therapy or medication. But it’s a deeply supportive part of a holistic approach to mental health.

Exercise Helps Regulate the Stress Response

When you’re anxious, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode — heart racing, breathing shallow, thoughts racing. Exercise gives that energy somewhere to go.

Movement helps your body complete the stress cycle. It signals to your nervous system, “I’m safe now. You can calm down.”

Regular physical activity also trains your stress response system to recover faster. Studies from Harvard Health (2023) and Trends in Neurosciences show that exercise improves heart rate variability and strengthens the parasympathetic (calming) side of your nervous system. Over time, this means you can move through stress more smoothly, with fewer lingering effects on your mood or body.

Exercise Builds Emotional Resilience

One of my favorite ways to describe movement is this: it’s practice for life.

When you’re exercising, you’re literally training your brain to tolerate discomfort — the burning in your muscles, the heaviness of fatigue, the voice that says, “I can’t do this.” Each time you finish a workout or walk that you didn’t feel like doing, you reinforce your ability to sit with challenge and move through it.

This kind of resilience translates into emotional strength. A Harvard Health review (2023) found that consistent exercise improves emotion regulation, reduces rumination, and enhances self-efficacy — that sense of “I can handle what comes.”

So in a way, every time you move, you’re rehearsing emotional recovery. You’re proving to yourself that you can push through discomfort and come out the other side steadier.

Exercise Enhances Connection and Reduces Isolation

When you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, isolation can feel protective — but it also deepens disconnection. Exercise, especially in social settings, can help break that cycle.

Whether it’s walking with a friend, joining a local yoga class, or taking a group hike, movement provides gentle opportunities for connection without pressure to talk or “perform.” Shared activity also increases oxytocin, sometimes called the bonding hormone, which fosters a sense of safety and belonging.

Even solo movement outdoors has prosocial effects. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology (2020) found that people who exercised in nature reported greater feelings of empathy and social connection afterward — even without direct interaction.

Simply put: moving your body helps you reconnect — with yourself, others, and the world around you.

Nature Makes It Even More Powerful

When you combine movement with time outdoors, the benefits multiply.

Spending time in green spaces has been shown to lower cortisol (the body’s stress hormone), improve sleep quality, and boost mood. In studies published in Scientific Reports and Environmental Health Perspectives, even short walks in nature led to measurable decreases in anxiety and increases in vitality and creativity.

This doesn’t have to mean hiking for hours or living near a forest. A 20-minute walk outside — around your neighborhood, in a park, or even just sitting on a bench in the sun — can shift your physiology and improve your mood.

It is important to remember that small Steps make a big difference. The goal isn’t to overhaul your routine overnight. The goal is to build a relationship with movement that feels caring and sustainable.

For most people, mental health benefits begin around:

• 30 minutes of moderate activity (like brisk walking or cycling) most days, or

• 15 minutes of vigorous activity (like jogging or dancing) several times a week.

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But even smaller bursts count. Five minutes of stretching, walking your dog, or dancing to one song in your kitchen can start the same neurochemical process.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about giving your brain and body a chance to reset.

Exercise as Self-Compassion. In therapy, we talk a lot about self-care — but exercise can be one of the most misunderstood forms of it. It’s not about how you look or productivity. It’s about self-compassion.

When you move your body, you’re offering it attention, oxygen, and release. You’re saying, “I’m here with you.”

You’re giving your nervous system a way to regulate, your mind a way to slow down, and your emotions a way to flow through instead of bottling up.

Exercise doesn’t fix everything — but it can open the door to healing.

Movement is medicine for the mind, and a great complement to your therapy. It supports mood, reduces anxiety, and strengthens your sense of agency and calm.

What I would like to leave you with is the recommendation to start where you are. Go for a short walk after work. Stretch before bed. Try a yoga video. Step outside and take a few deep breaths while you move your body. Every bit counts. Every movement matters.

The goal isn’t to become the fittest version of yourself. It’s to become the kindest version — to your mind, your mood, and your body.

References:

• Schuch, F. et al. (2022). Exercise as a Treatment for Depression: A Meta-Analysis. JAMA Psychiatry.

• Chekroud, S. et al. (2018). Association Between Physical Exercise and Mental Health in 1.2 Million Individuals. The Lancet Psychiatry.

• Basso, J.C. & Suzuki, W.A. (2017). The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood and Cognition. Trends in Neurosciences.

• White, M.P. et al. (2019). Spending Time in Nature and Health Benefits. Scientific Reports.

• Nisbet, E.K. et al. (2020). Outdoor Exercise and Social Connectedness. Frontiers in Psychology.

• Harvard Health Publishing (2023). Exercise and Mood: How Moving Your Body Lifts Your Spirits.

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