This Simple Habit Could Ease Depression as Much as Therapy.Exercise can lift depression nearly as well as therapy, without a prescription.
An updated Cochrane review suggests that physical activity can reduce depression symptoms at a level similar to psychological therapy. When exercise was compared with antidepressant medication, the benefits appeared comparable as well, although researchers note that the supporting evidence in this case was less certain.
Depression is one of the leading causes of poor health and disability worldwide, affecting more than 280 million people. Because exercise is inexpensive, widely accessible, and linked to many physical health benefits, it has drawn increasing interest as a potential option for both patients and healthcare providers.
What the Researchers Reviewed
The review was carried out by researchers at the University of Lancashire and analyzed 73 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 5,000 adults living with depression. Across these studies, exercise was compared with no treatment or control approaches, as well as with established treatments such as psychological therapy and antidepressant medications.
How Exercise Compared With Other Treatments
Overall, the analysis found that exercise led to moderate improvements in depression symptoms when compared with no treatment or control interventions. When exercise was measured against psychological therapy, the two approaches produced similar reductions in symptoms, based on moderate certainty evidence from ten trials. Comparisons with antidepressant medication also pointed to similar effects, but the available evidence was limited and considered low certainty. Few studies followed participants after treatment ended, so long term outcomes remain unclear.
