- Light exercise such as yoga, walking and jogging reduced symptoms of depression
- However, high-intensity workouts such as dancing were the most effective remedy
- READ MORE: How different exercises can improve your mental health
Jogging, yoga, strength training and even a simple walk can all ease the signs of depression, a study suggests.
Researchers in Australia looked at more than 200 studies involving nearly 15,000 participants to determine how different types of exercise improved mental health.
The team found that low-intensity exercise, such as walking or light jogging around the neighborhood, reduced signs of depression in both men and women.
However, women benefited more from strength training than men, while men saw the best results with yoga and qigong, a form of Chinese martial art similar to Tai Chi.
And while low-impact movements can improve your mood, more vigorous exercises like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be the most beneficial because they produce higher levels of feel-good hormones.
The researchers emphasized that while more research is needed, these types of exercises “can be considered core treatments for depression alongside psychotherapy and medications.”
A study published in the BMJ found that yoga, walking and jogging reduced symptoms of depression, although more intense workouts such as dancing were more effective
The researchers evaluated 218 studies involving a total of 14,170 participants who had been diagnosed with depression.
Compared with patients who adhered to traditional treatments such as medication and therapy, those who engaged in walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, tai chi and mixed aerobic exercise were less likely to become depressed.
Study author Dr Michael Noetel from the University of Queensland in Australia said: ‘Although walking or jogging was effective for both men and women, strength training was more effective for women, and yoga or qigong was more effective for men.’
‘Yoga was also more effective among older people, while strength training was more effective among young people.’
The team noted that the benefits could be due to a combination of social interactions and getting outside in green spaces, especially during group exercise.
And the main mood booster was more vigorous exercise, like dancing.
‘Even low-intensity activities such as walking or yoga are beneficial, but the results suggest that the more vigorous the activity, the greater the benefits are likely to be,’ said Dr Noetel.
This could be because intense exercise produces higher levels of endorphins, feel-good hormones that reduce pain and have been shown to ease symptoms of depression – which affects about 21 million Americans.
“Our findings support the inclusion of exercise as part of clinical practice guidelines for depression, particularly vigorous-intensity exercise,” said Dr. Noetel.
“Health systems may want to offer these treatments as an alternative or complement to other established interventions, while also mitigating the physical health risks associated with depression.”
The team cautioned that more research is still needed to get a better idea of the full benefits.
The research was published in the journal on Wednesday BMJ.