Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Mental Health and Physical Activity

Mental health and physical activity describes the well-established relationship between bodily movement and psychological well-being, in which regular exercise serves as one of the most effective non-pharmacological tools for promoting good mental health. Physical activity has been associated with reduced symptoms o…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 6 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 24× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2576-9383 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

Mental health and physical activity describes the well-established relationship between bodily movement and psychological well-being, in which regular exercise serves as one of the most effective non-pharmacological tools for promoting good mental health. Physical activity has been associated with reduced symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, as well as improvements in mood, sleep, cognitive function, and resilience. These effects are thought to arise through a combination of physiological mechanisms, including the release of endorphins and neurotrophic factors, and psychological mechanisms such as enhanced self-efficacy and stress regulation. Both sustained moderate exercise and brief high-intensity sessions have been studied for their mental health benefits across diverse populations and occupational settings. This page gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to the intersection of physical activity and mental health. Listed work includes a study examining the effects of a seven-minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout on stress and burnout in outpatient physical therapists, an investigation that directly addresses how short, accessible bouts of exercise may influence psychological strain in a demanding healthcare profession. Such research illustrates the practical relevance of physical activity as a workplace and individual strategy for managing stress and supporting mental well-being.

Research published in this journal

6 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 6 articles above have been cited 24 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Mental Health and Physical Activity, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Human Health Research (ISSN 2576-9383).

Journal editorial board
Irma Brito · Portugal Suelen Boschen · United States Mohammad Nahid Siddiqui · Saudi Arabia

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.