Can exercise treat depression? A major review finds it’s as effective as therapy. Learn about the safest, most effective workouts for your mental wellbeing.
Exercise may be just as helpful as therapy for treating depression, according to a large review of scientific studies. Researchers found that regular exercise can reduce depression symptoms in a way that is similar to therapies. However, the evidence comparing exercise to antidepressant medication is not as strong.
Depression is a major health issue affecting over 280 million people around the world. It is a leading cause of disability and can have a big impact on how people feel and function. Exercise is an attractive option because it is affordable, easy to access, and benefits both physical health and mental wellbeing. For many, it may be more practical than medication or therapy.
What the Researchers Studied
The study comes from a Cochrane review led by researchers at the University of Lancashire. This review looked at data from 73 high-quality clinical trials involving almost 5,000 adults with depression. The studies compared exercise with no treatment, psychological therapy, and antidepressant medication.
Participants in exercise programmes generally showed moderate improvements in depression symptoms compared to those who received no treatment. When compared directly to psychological therapy, the results were very similar. The findings were based on fewer studies, but the evidence was considered reliable.
Safety and Side Effects
When exercise was compared to antidepressant medication, the benefits seemed similar. However, fewer studies looked at this comparison, and the evidence quality was lower. Also, most studies only examined short-term results, so it is unclear how long the benefits of exercise last after the programmes end.
Exercise was found to be safe, with few and mild side effects, such as muscle strain or joint pain. In contrast, people taking antidepressants often experienced more common side effects, including tiredness and stomach issues.
These findings suggest that exercise is a safe choice for many people with depression. However, it does not work for everyone, and the most effective approach is likely one that matches a person’s preferences and lifestyle, making it easier to maintain over time.
What Type of Exercise Helps the Most
The review found that light to moderate physical activity may be more helpful than very intense workouts. Greater improvements were seen in people who completed between 13 and 36 exercise sessions.
No single type of exercise was clearly better than others. However, programmes that included different activities, especially those with resistance or strength training, were more effective than aerobic exercise alone. Some forms of movement, such as yoga, qigong, and stretching, were not included in the review and need more research.
Although the review added many new studies to earlier versions, the overall conclusions have not changed much. Many of the trials were small, making it challenging to draw strong conclusions. Larger and better-designed studies are still needed to understand which types of exercise are most effective, who benefits the most, and whether the positive effects last in the long term.