Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is more important for mental health in middle age than light physical activity, according to a new study by the University of Oulu and ODL Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine. The more time people spent each day engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity relative to sedentary behaviour and light activity, the fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety they experienced.
According to the study, published in the scientific journal Depression and Anxiety, simply increasing physical activity is not enough; the intensity of the activity appears to be crucial. Replacing sedentary behaviour with light activity, such as leisurely walking, produced small but clearly more limited benefits compared with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The findings were consistent across all symptom measures used in the study.
“The findings suggest that, from a mental health perspective, the intensity of physical activity is key, not merely increasing movement as such. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is intense enough to leave you slightly out of breath,” says
Maisa Niemelä, adjunct professor at the University of Oulu.
The study also shows that mental health is influenced not only by individual bouts of exercise, but by the overall balance of daily time use. In addition to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sufficient sleep also protects against symptoms of depression and anxiety.
A 30-minute change in daily routine can affect wellbeing
Sleep, sedentary behaviour, light, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity together form a continuous 24-hour cycle in which changes in one area inevitably affect the others. The study examined what happens to mental wellbeing when daily time use is adjusted moderately. When 30 minutes of sedentary time was replaced with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, the association with improved mental health was clear: depressive symptoms were 9 per cent and anxiety symptoms around 5 per cent lower.
“This is not about major lifestyle changes. Even a 30-minute daily adjustment can be meaningful,” Niemelä says.
Sleep is a key part of the equation
The findings also highlighted the importance of sleep. In addition to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sufficient sleep was associated with fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants reported sleeping an average of 7 hours and 30 minutes per night. Sleeping just 5–30 minutes less per night was associated with a slight increase in symptoms.
The findings suggest that increasing physical activity should not come at the expense of sleep; instead, the 24-hour day should be viewed as a balanced whole.
“Getting enough sleep and increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is an ideal lifestyle change for supporting mental health in middle age,” says
Clarence Tan, Doctoral Researcher at the University of Oulu.
The study included nearly 4,500 participants from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Their physical activity and sedentary behaviour were monitored using activity monitors over a two-week period at the age of 46. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed using three widely used self-report questionnaires.
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