Exercise trials found lower depression, anxiety and stress scores in people with insomnia symptoms
Pooled trials found psychological symptom improvements, while initial results for fatigue and mental health-related quality of life were inconclusive.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
This abstract-based review found lower self-reported depression, anxiety and stress scores after exercise interventions in people with insomnia symptoms. Initial pooled analyses did not find significant improvements in fatigue or mental health-related quality of life. The abstract does not report whether insomnia symptoms themselves improved or how many participants recovered from depression.
The abstract does not describe control conditions, intervention durations or evidence certainty. Its subgroup findings do not establish an optimal exercise schedule.
What researchers found
Self-reported depression
The minus sign indicates lower depression scores with exercise versus trial comparators. A standard deviation is a unit of score variability, not questionnaire points or percent change. Assessment timeframe and comparator details were unreported.
What the scores represent
Depression, anxiety and stress were reported by participants, alongside fatigue and mental health-related quality of life. Changes in these scores do not tell us how many people recovered from depression or whether their insomnia improved.
Subgroup findings remain uncertain
Longer programs were associated with better mental health-related quality of life, and session frequency was linked to fatigue results. These subgroup patterns do not establish a reliable schedule, particularly given the inconclusive overall findings.
The original publication
Effects of exercise interventions on mental health in people with insomnia symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Wu Q, Zhou X, Lei X
Sleep Med · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41172564
- Record checked
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