Running for mental health: what it can and cannot do

The CDC lists better mental health among the benefits of regular physical activity. It says activity can reduce the risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep, and that some benefits, such as reduced short-term anxiety in adults, show up right after a session.

For people who already have depression, the largest recent review is a 2024 network meta-analysis in The BMJ. It pooled 218 randomized trials with 14,170 participants. Compared with active control treatments, walking or jogging produced moderate reductions in depression, among the largest of any exercise type, along with yoga and strength training. More vigorous exercise tended to show larger effects, although the ranges overlapped. The authors rated their confidence in the walking or jogging result as low, mainly because most trials had a high or unclear risk of bias.

The NHS says regular exercise can improve mood and is especially useful for less severe depression, and that even a brisk 10-minute walk can help clear your mind. It also notes that national guidance in England recommends group exercise as one option for less severe depression.

If you take medication for depression or anxiety, keep taking it as prescribed. Talk to your doctor before changing anything, even if running is helping.

Low mood makes everything feel heavy, including getting dressed for a run. So make the first step absurdly small. Forget training for now. The only aim is to get outside and move.

• Promise yourself five minutes. Shoes on, out of the door, walk to the corner. Decide there.
• Walk first. A brisk walk counts, and it is often easier to start than a run.
• Go at the same time each day, so the decision is already made.
• Go somewhere green if you can: a park, a river path, a tree-lined street.
• Leave the watch at home on bad days. Pace does not matter here.
• Tell one person you are doing this, or ask them to walk with you.
• Count every session as a win, however short.

After each session, rate your mood from 1 to 10 before and after. Over a few weeks, that small log often shows a pattern that is easy to forget on a bad day: you usually feel at least a little better after you go.

You do not need to suffer for running to help. Run at a pace where you can talk in full sentences, and walk whenever you want to. The BMJ review hinted that harder exercise may help a little more, but only if you will actually do it. A gentle run you repeat beats a hard one that puts you off for a week. Once running feels routine, you can add a few faster minutes if you enjoy them.

Many people find that running outside, in daylight and among trees or water, feels better than the same run indoors. Company helps too. A walking group, a beginner running club or a friend who meets you on Saturdays adds connection to the movement. See running with friends and groups.

A shared goal can give you a reason to keep going on flat days. TURTLE is 68 km over 39 days, about 1.7 km a day, which is walkable. LOKI is shorter: 5 km in 7 days.

• Use a familiar route at first, so there is nothing new to manage.
• Choose a time when your route is calm, or run with a friend.
• Keep one ear free of music so you feel aware of what is around you.
• If your heart racing worries you, walk more and run in short spells. Easy effort keeps your breathing steady.
• Treadmill or indoor sessions are fine on days when going out feels like too much.

Make running part of your routine rather than something you save for bad days. A regular habit, kept going on good weeks too, tends to be easier to lean on when you need it.

Running can also become a source of pressure. Watch for these signs, and talk to someone if you notice them:

• You feel anxious or guilty when you miss a run.
• You run through pain or illness because stopping feels impossible.
• Running has become your only way to cope with stress.
• You are restricting food to run more, or running to make up for eating.

See a doctor if you have been feeling low for a while, have lost interest in things you used to enjoy, or if your sleep, appetite or energy have changed. A doctor can talk through options such as talking therapy and medication, and whether exercise is safe for you. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day. In an emergency, call 911.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or have not exercised in a long time, check with a doctor before you start.

• How soon will I feel better? Many people feel a lift right after a session. Longer-term changes usually take weeks of regular activity.
• Is walking as good as running? Walking or jogging were grouped together in the BMJ review. Start with whichever you will do.
• How much should I do? The CDC suggests 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults. Any amount is better than none.
• Should I run when I feel awful? A short, easy walk often helps. If you feel physically unwell, rest.
• Can running make anxiety worse? For some people a hard effort feels like the start of a panic. Keep the pace easy, walk often, and build up slowly.

• Noetel and colleagues, Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis, The BMJ, 2024
• Exercise for depression, NHS
• Benefits of Physical Activity, CDC
• Adult Activity: An Overview, CDC
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline