A new study found that exercise is an effective way to treat depression

What Are the Best Exercises to Ease Depression? New Study Suggests Answer Find out which exercises showed the most results and how to get started

A new study found that exercise is an effective way to treat depression

• A new study found that exercise is an effective treatment for depression either when used alone or when used alongside therapy and medication.
• Walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training may reduce depressive symptoms more than other exercises.
• Higher intensity exercises appeared to produce better results regardless of how long a person exercises.

A new analysis of more than 200 studies suggests that exercise can be just as effective as therapy at treating depression.

The research, published in The BMJ, found that walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training work best at reducing depressive symptoms, especially when the workouts are more intense. 

About 18 million adults in the United States report ever having been diagnosed with depression. Medication and psychotherapy can work well for people with depression, but not everyone seeks out or has access to these options. While clinical guidelines in the U.S. and other countries recommend exercise as a complement to these treatments, the authors noted that these recommendations lack consistency and clarity. 

The study’s findings could help provide a framework for future guidelines, the researchers concluded.

“We found that exercise leads to reduced depression at levels comparable with gold-standard treatments like cognitive-behavior therapy,” Michael Noetel, PhD, lead study author and a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Queensland, Australia, told Health. “We can be confident there’s a causal effect here.”

Exercises With the Largest Impact on Depression

Researchers analyzed data from 218 studies with more than 14,000 participants examining the relationship between depression and exercise. The exercise types studied included walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, tai chi, and qigong.

The team discovered that all the exercises were “well tolerated” and effective on their own or when combined with therapy and medications. However, walking, jogging, yoga, and strength training showed the most benefits, with running and interval training the most effective.

Strength training appeared to offer more benefits for women, the researchers found, while yoga and qigong had a more pronounced effect on men.

Noetel thinks those differences could be due to the novelty of the exercises for the particular group. “A big part of treatment for depression is breaking unhelpful cycles that keep us stuck,” he said. “Doing something completely different from what you’re used to might help give you confidence that you can break those cycles.”

The researchers also discovered that more vigorous exercise had a greater impact on mood regardless of the length of a workout. However, lower-intensity exercise still resulted in improvement.

The study has limitations, the authors noted, such as the small number of participants in the papers it analyzed and the risk of bias in many of them.

What’s Behind Exercise’s Effect on Depression?

Noetel said that researchers don’t know precisely how exercise eases depression, but one way it likely does is by changing the balance of the brain’s neurotransmitters. 

Exercise releases the mood regulators dopamine and serotonin, Ulrick Vieux, DO, a sports psychiatrist at Hackensack University Medical Center, told Health. “Low levels of serotonin, for instance, have been linked to...depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias,” he said. “[But] exercise raises serotonin levels.”

Beyond physical changes, exercise can create a sense of accomplishment and personal control, Vieux noted.

Exercise is also associated with improvements in sleep, social interaction, and mindfulness, all of which can improve depression, Brent Nelson, MD, an adult interventional psychiatrist and chief medical information officer for PrairieCare, told Health.

Finding the Ideal Workout

The ideal exercise for people struggling with depression depends on their current routine, Rachel Goldberg, LMFT, a therapist, personal trainer, and fitness instructor at Rachel Goldberg Therapy, told Health.

While switching up an exercise routine can offer seasoned exercisers benefits, non-exercisers may see their symptoms improve once they begin working out.

To find motivation, Nelson suggests setting specific goals, seeking support from loved ones, opting for group exercises, monitoring and rewarding progress, and choosing convenient and enjoyable exercises. 

Noetel stressed that people with depression may reap the most benefits from an exercise program that will “push you, at least a little,” but Vieux noted the importance of checking with a healthcare provider before changing or starting an exercise routine. A medical professional can help you formulate a workout that's both safe and beneficial.

This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Sherri Gordon