Physical exercises that seem simple can help treat depression

When a wave of depression hits, exercise may seem like the last thing you want to do. But a new study says physical activity may be crucial to feeling better.

Many types of exercise, including walking, running, yoga, tai chi, aerobics and strength training, have shown benefits as strong as therapy in treating depression, according to the study published Wednesday (14) in the magazine BMJ.

“Depression affects between 10% and 25% of people. It harms well-being more than debt, divorce or diabetes,” lead study author Michael Noetel, a senior lecturer at the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia, said via email.

“Still, only half of people with depression receive any treatment.”

Researchers analyzed data from 218 studies on exercise and depression, involving more than 14,000 people.

Although there was a risk of bias in the studies, the benefits of exercise for the whole body, along with the data that suggests it helps treat depression, make for a solid treatment option, Noetel said.

The results are in line with what many other studies have said about the benefits of exercise, said Dr. Adam Chekroud, adjunct assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and co-founder of Spring Health, a mental health service. He did not participate in this research.

One 2018 Chekroud study with more than 1.2 million Americans showed that those who exercised reported better well-being and mental health.

Both studies should give people confidence that exercise is a good way to treat depression, along with other options including therapy and medication, Chekroud said.

“None of these treatments are a miracle solution. But given how debilitating it is to have depression, almost all patients should receive exercise and therapy,” Noetel said.

Any exercise is better than none

The study found that more exercise and higher training intensity were better, but it's not necessary to start training like a professional athlete, according to the data.

“It didn’t matter how much people exercised, in terms of sessions or minutes per week,” Noetel said. “It also didn’t matter how long the exercise program lasted.”

The intensity of the exercise made the biggest difference, but even walking had an impact, he said.

Any exercise is better than none, but Noetel recommended adding some challenges.

“Initially, we thought that people with depression might need to 'lighten it up.' We found it was much better to have a clear program that aimed to boost it, at least a little bit,” he said.

The problem of motivation

Many people struggle to find motivation to exercise, and adding depression to the mix can make it even harder to get started.

Setting goals and tracking activities didn't appear to be helpful in the studies Noetel reviewed.

“Instead, I think we have to defer to more established wisdom about what works,” he said, pointing to support and accountability.

It may be possible to join an exercise group, hire a trainer, or invite a loved one to go for a walk with you, Noetel added.

“Taking some steps to gain that support makes you more likely to continue,” he said. And if you like weight training or walking, you need to make the activity enjoyable to continue.

“Be kind to your future self by making exercise as easy and engaging as possible, like buying an audiobook or trying out a yoga studio,” Noetel said.

The more you enjoy your workout, the more confident you will be about overcoming exercise obstacles, which means the more likely you are to stick to a regimen, according to a 2015 study.

“So be kind to yourself if it’s hard; We always forget how easy it is for life to get in the way of exercise, so make a backup plan as if your happiness depends on it… because it does,” said Noetel.