You’re not going to want to sit down for this.
A new study suggests that a single habit is better for the brain than previously thought — and can treat symptoms of depression as effectively as medication and talk therapy.
This latest round of research reinforces a key 2013 study that found physical exercise can treat depression at least as well as standard treatments, including antidepressants and cognitive behavioral therapy.
“This latest review [almost] doubles the evidence base that was in the previous one,” said review author Andrew Clegg.
“It really reiterates that exercise provides an option for people who have depressive symptoms, and confirms that exercise may be as effective as psychotherapy and antidepressants,” he continued.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the prevalence of depression in US adolescents and adults increased 60% in the past decade.
The agency lists medication and therapy as possible remedies to depression, but not exercise.
Which kinds of exercise help?
Clegg and his team analyzed data from trials of nearly 5,000 adults who were clinically diagnosed with depression, or who registered a depressive score on a depression symptom scale.
They focused on trials in which participants were assigned to an exercise program with weekly sessions lasting weeks or months, featuring activities ranging from low- to moderate-intensity, such as power walking or gardening, to vigorous cardiovascular exercise, such as sprinting and football.
Moderate intensity can be signaled by being able to talk but not sing, while vigorous intensity would make it so you can’t carry on a conversation.
They excluded trials that included yoga or stretching, as these practices often incorporate breathwork and meditation, and they wanted to focus exclusively on the effects of physical activity on depressive symptoms.
Results showed that exercise moderately reduced the severity of depressive symptoms like sadness and isolating behavior.
Comparing this data with trials in which cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressants were employed, researchers found that regular exercise worked just as well.
Further analysis revealed that light to moderate exercise was seemingly more effective than vigorous activities in treating depression. Researchers believe this may be because light to moderate exercise is easier to incorporate and sustain, noting that “going hard” often leads to burnout.
Get out and move
The team suspects that there are lots of benefits of exercise on mental health: Group fitness can enhance social well-being, while building a new skill can boost self-esteem.
In addition, research shows that exercise releases chemicals called myokines from muscle tissue, which help mitigate inflammation, a major contributor to depressive symptoms.
In particular, experts say a myokine called brain-derived neurotrophic factor stimulates brain cell growth, which could help the brain reprogram negative thought patterns.
Consequently, Clegg and his teams found that resistance training, which increases myokine release, was more effective than aerobic exercise alone in reducing depressive symptoms.
The team acknowledges the limitations of its study, including the relatively small number of participants and the possibility of a placebo effect, as participants knew whether they were in a treatment group or a control group.
Experts maintain that more studies are needed to determine what specific types of exercise are most beneficial for those suffering from depression based on the underlying cause of the condition.
Past research has shown that exercise positively impacts mental health and a slew of other health benefits, including reducing cancer growth, preventing cognitive decline and extending life expectancy.
Physical activity has also been shown to ward off cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
