Exercise: The Most Underprescribed Treatment for Anxiety and Depression

The Evidence Is Clear — Movement Heals More Than Muscles

A recent global review involving over 128,000 participants found that exercise is 1.5 times more effective at treating anxiety and depression than therapy or medication.

That’s not a catchy headline or a social media soundbite — it’s one of the most comprehensive analyses ever conducted on mental health interventions.

So why isn’t exercise the first line of treatment?

Pills Over Skills — The Current Health Hierarchy

We live in a world where the first response to stress, anxiety, or low mood is often a prescription.

Yet, the data tells a different story. Exercise — simple, structured, consistent movement — outperforms both medication and traditional talk therapy in reducing symptoms of psychological distress.

The problem?

No one knows whose job it is to prescribe it.

Doctors have 10 minutes to spend with each patient. Therapists aren’t trained to design exercise programmes. And fitness professionals — the very people most qualified to help — are too often boxed into aesthetics, fat loss, or “summer body” culture instead of public health.

As a result, an entire generation is being given pills instead of skills.

The Role of the Fitness Professional

The #1 tool for improving mental health is one we already have — movement.

And the professionals capable of delivering it safely, progressively, and effectively are not found in clinics or pharmacies — they’re in gyms, studios, and community performance centres.

Fitness professionals, when properly educated, can deliver structured, evidence-based exercise programmes that improve:

• Mood and emotional regulation

• Sleep quality

• Self-esteem and confidence

• Cognitive performance

• Long-term resilience and stress tolerance

At Poseidon Performance, we see this every day — from clients recovering from injury and trauma to older adults rediscovering vitality through strength training. Movement becomes medicine when it’s delivered with precision, empathy, and consistency.

Why Exercise Works So Powerfully for Mental Health

Exercise triggers a cascade of neurochemical changes that underpin mood and cognition:

• Endorphins and serotonin improve feelings of wellbeing and reduce anxiety.

• BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) supports brain cell growth and neuroplasticity.

• Regular cardiovascular and strength training improve sleep and energy regulation.

• Structured physical goals rebuild confidence and self-efficacy — a key predictor of mental wellbeing.

This isn’t “gym therapy.” It’s applied physiology — and it’s profoundly effective.

Building a Future Where Movement Is Medicine

Imagine if exercise prescription was as routine as medication.

If every GP referred patients to an exercise specialist before reaching for the prescription pad.

If schools prioritised physical literacy as much as academic achievement.

And if every community had access to facilities where mental health was trained, not just treated.

That’s the future evidence demands.

It’s also the mission behind performance and rehabilitation-based facilities like Poseidon Performance — where movement isn’t about vanity or volume, but vitality.

Key Takeaway

Exercise is not an alternative treatment — it’s a foundational one.

The data is unambiguous: when designed and delivered correctly, structured movement outperforms therapy and medication in improving mental health outcomes.

So the question isn’t whether exercise works.

It’s whether we, as health and fitness professionals, are ready to make it the first choice — not the last resort.