Introduction: In recent decades, mental disorders have been a growing problem and one of the big public health challenges. They are the leading cause of disability and the third most leading cause of morbidity, after cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Depression and anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in Europe. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma work is to present the impact of physical activity on the well-being of anxious or depressed people. Methods: We used a descriptive method of work. We have reviewed, evaluated and used Slovenian and foreign professional literature about physical activity, mental disorders, depression and anxiety disorders, published from 1999 to 2020. The main sources of literature were found the Cinahl and Science Direct databases, Pubmed search engine, DiKul web portal and the joint catalog of Slovenian libraries COBIB.SI, in the period from January 2019 to March 2020. Results: Aerobic exercise has a positive effect on the status of anxiety disorders, it lowers the feelings of anxiety, sensitivity to anxiety and intolerance to insecurity, and increases tolerance for distress. Positive effects of physical activity can be seen up to a week after the last workout. Aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise affect different constructs of anxiety disorders. Aerobic exercise significantly reduces depressive symptoms in patients with diagnosed depression, with a significant effect on as many as 10 of the 25 effects studied. A clinical response (symptom reduction of at least 50%) was seen in 57% of participants and remission in 7%. The average effect of physical activity is significantly greater in subjects with mild to moderate depression than in persons without diagnosed depression. Discussion and conclusion: Although there are several established treatments for anxiety disorders, a large proportion of this population does not respond to them. Similar problems are found in treating depression, where we come across the problem with diagnostics. Physical activity is a feasible short-term treatment option or potential adjunctive therapy to improve the signs and symptoms associated with general anxiety disorder or depression. Being physically active requires minimal or no contact with the clinic, which saves the healthcare system valuable resources that can be used for traditional treatments.
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