The ADHD Skills Lab ADHD, Anxiety, and Exercise: What the Research Says
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Oct 13, 2025 William Curb, creator of Hacking Your ADHD, joins to tackle the surprising benefits of exercise for ADHD. He discusses how physical activity can reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation, highlighting brain mechanisms like dopamine release that support mood. They explore the best types and frequencies of exercise for both anxiety and depression. Curb emphasizes that any movement helps and offers practical tips for getting started, even for those with mobility limits. This conversation blends research and relatable advice tailored for ADHD management.
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High-Quality Evidence Supports Exercise
- The meta-analysis pooled 18 randomized controlled trials focused specifically on ADHD, offering high-quality evidence.
- This makes the findings—about exercise reducing anxiety, depression, and emotion dysregulation—particularly reliable for ADHD.
Match Exercise Type To Your Goal
- For anxiety, favor mixed activities at moderate intensity done frequently to get the best benefit.
- For emotional regulation, use moderate-to-high frequency with lower intensity such as walking to calm and reflect.
Start With What You Can Do
- Use mixed forms of exercise rather than expecting a single activity to solve everything.
- Start with what’s doable and enjoyable instead of hunting for the perfect program that delays action.