Introduction: Anxiety disorders are unpleasant for individuals and affect their behavioural, cognitive, emotional, and biochemical functioning. The main symptoms include excessive fear, anxiety, and avoidance of situations that individuals perceive as threatening. The most common anxiety disorders are generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias. Treatment of anxiety disorders reduces anxiety symptoms and improves quality of life. Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy are considered the first-choice treatment. Exercise has a positive effect on self-esteem, self-image, and vitality and it improves mood state. It can have a positive effect on mood states such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to determine the effects of exercise on individuals with anxiety disorders, based on a literature review. Methods: The descriptive method was used. The literature search was conducted in the PubMed and PEDro databases using the keywords "physical exercise OR exercise" AND "anxiety disorders OR anxiety disorder". Results: Six randomised trials that met the inclusion criteria were included in the literature review. In these studies, exercise programmes included aerobic exercise, resistance training, yoga, sport climbing, Nordic walking, high-intensity interval training, and stretching. They lasted from 12 days to 12 weeks. The studies used various scales and questionnaires to assess anxiety. In all six studies, there was a statistically significant improvement in various aspects of anxiety after the interventions. Discussion and conclusion: Exercise has beneficial effects on people with anxiety disorders—various positive effects are seen regardless of the duration of the exercise programme and the exercise unit. It has a beneficial effect on emotional responses, anxiety levels, anxiety symptoms, and quality of life. Different forms of exercise are an effective supportive treatment method for anxiety disorders, but there is insufficient evidence to support using them as a stand-alone method. The results of the studies reviewed show positive short-term effects that cannot be generalised to long-term effects. Future research should measure outcomes over a longer period of time, use uniform measurement tools, include a larger number of subjects, and determine which type and intensity of exercise has the most beneficial effects on individuals with anxiety disorders.
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