Simple daily habit may help ease depression more than medication, researchers say

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A new study suggests that exercise can treat depression just as effectively as therapy and antidepressants.

A Cochrane review looked at 73 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 5,000 adults with a depression diagnosis. The studies compared exercise with either other active treatments — such as therapy or medication — or with "inactive interventions," like being placed on a wait list or in a control group.

The London-based team discovered that exercise may be "moderately effective" compared to no therapy in reducing depression symptoms, according to a press release.

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"There is probably little to no difference in depressive symptoms between people undertaking exercise and those receiving psychological therapy," the authors noted in a study discussion on Cochrane’s website, and "there may be little to no difference in depressive symptoms between people doing exercise and those taking antidepressants."

The review found that light- to moderate-intensity exercise was more beneficial for easing depression symptoms than vigorous exercise.

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No single type of physical activity stood out as the best, but mixed programs that included resistance training appeared to be "more effective" than just aerobic exercise. 

Some forms of exercise, like yoga and stretching, were not included in the analysis, but are areas to be further researched, the review noted.

Professor Andrew Clegg, lead author of the review, wrote in a statement that exercise "appears to be a safe and accessible option for helping to manage symptoms of depression."

"This suggests that exercise works well for some people, but not for everyone, and finding approaches that individuals are willing and able to maintain is important," he said.

The researchers noted that there was a high risk of bias in some of the studies included in the review, and noted that the long-term effects of exercise on depression symptoms remain uncertain.

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Clegg noted that "larger, high-quality studies" are needed to determine which types of exercise work best and whether the benefits last over time.

The comparison between exercise and other treatments and how they benefit people's quality of life were also "inconsistent and uncertain."

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"Adverse events from exercise were not common," the researchers mentioned. "The small number of participants who experienced them usually reported muscle and joint problems or worsening of depression."

"Future research should focus on improving the quality of the studies, working out which characteristics of exercise are effective for different people, and ensuring different types of people are included in the studies so that health equity issues can be considered," they went on.

About 21 million U.S. adults had at least one major depressive episode in a recent year — equivalent to roughly 8.3% of all U.S. adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Depression symptoms include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, guilt or irritability, as well as loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities. Fatigue, poor concentration, sleep disturbances, appetite changes and social withdrawal are also red flags, in addition to thoughts about dying or suicidal ideations. 

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The condition is most often treated by antidepressant medications and psychological therapies, such as talk therapy. Anyone who needs help should consult their doctor.