- Light exercise such as yoga, walking and jogging reduced depression symptoms
- However, high-intensity workouts like 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 relieve signs of depression, a study suggests.
Researchers in Australia analyzed more than 200 studies with almost 15,000 participants to determine how different types of exercise improved mental health.
The team found that low-intensity exercise, such as going for a walk or light jogging around the neighborhood, reduced signs of depression in both men and women.
However, women got more benefits from strength training than men, while men got the best results from yoga and qigong, a form of Chinese martial art similar to Tai Chi.
And while low-impact moves can boost your mood, more vigorous exercises like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be the most beneficial by producing higher levels of feel-good hormones.
The researchers stressed that, while more studies are needed, these types of exercises “could be considered along with psychotherapy and medications as basic treatments for depression.”
A study published in BMJ found that yoga, walking and jogging reduced symptoms of depression, although more intense exercises 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 followed traditional treatments such as medications and therapy, those who walked, jogged, did yoga, strength training, tai chi and mixed aerobic exercise were less likely to be depressed.
Study author Dr Michael Noetel, from the University of Queensland in Australia, said: “Although walking or jogging were effective for both men and women, strength training was more effective for women and yoga or exercise qigong were more effective for men.
“Yoga was also more effective among older adults, while strength training was more effective among younger adults.”
The team noted that the benefits could be due to a combination of social interactions and getting out into green spaces, particularly during group exercise.
And the most significant 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 intense the activity, the greater the benefits are likely to be,” Dr. Noetel said.
This could be because intense exercise produces higher levels of endorphins, feel-good hormones that reduce pain and have been shown to relieve 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,” Dr. Noetel said.
“Health systems may want to offer these treatments as alternatives or adjuvants to other established interventions, while mitigating the physical health risks associated with depression.”
The team cautioned that more research is still needed to get a better idea of ​​all the benefits.
The study was published Wednesday in the B.M.J..