The effect of types of exercise on the mental health of non-athletes (comprehensive review)

Abstract

Background and goal:

Mental health refers to a person's emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, and helps determine how they manage stress, relate to others, and make choices.

Method:

Google Scholar, Scopus, Pub Med, Wos and MDPI databases were used to search for articles in English from 2020 to 2024. Articles were extracted using the keywords of mental illness, behavior, depressive disorder and exercise. Finally, 71 article titles were searched based on the keywords used, and after reviewing the articles based on the entry and exit criteria and removing duplicate articles, 15 high-quality articles related to the effect of various types of exercise on the mental health of inactive people were obtained.

Findings:

Exercise can improve mental health in people with or without mental disorders and reduce symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD). Physical activity interventions can also help reduce symptoms of depression in children, adolescents, and students. In addition, aerobic exercise is beneficial for improving the mental health of the elderly and can prevent common mental disorders. Overall, exercise interventions have a beneficial effect on depressive symptoms across a wide range of ages.

Conclusion:

Exercise has positive effects on the mental and emotional health of people and can be used as an effective solution to deal with depression. On the other hand, the type and intensity of exercise may affect people's mental and emotional health.