The Promotive Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Emotional Well-being and Its Mechanisms: A Review Based on Multi-Group Research

Abstract

Negative emotions, particularly anxiety and depression, pose a significant threat to individual physical and mental wellbeing. Aerobic exercise, as a safe and accessible non-pharmacological intervention, demonstrates considerable potential in promoting emotional health. This systematic review examines the positive effects of aerobic exercise on mood across diverse populations, including adolescents, university students, individuals with chronic illnesses, older adults, and postpartum women. Findings confirm its efficacy in alleviating anxiety and depressive symptoms while enhancing emotional stability. Its mechanisms involve multi-level physiological and psychological pathways: physiologically, aerobic exercise improves mood by regulating neurotransmitter release (e.g., endorphins, serotonin, dopamine), elevating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, and optimising autonomic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) function; psychologically, it acts through pathways such as enhancing self-efficacy. Notably, exercise's impact on mood exhibits significant individual variability, with efficacy contingent upon precise alignment between participants' core needs and exercise attributes. Future research should focus on deepening neurobiological mechanism exploration and developing personalised exercise prescriptions based on individual differences to advance the scientific application of aerobic exercise in emotional health promotion.