THURSDAY, Feb. 15, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Looking for a workout to beat the blues?
Try walking, jogging, yoga, or strength training. A new study reports that these are the most effective exercises to reduce depression. These activities can be used alone or in combination with pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy, according to an evidence review published Feb. 14 in the journal Science. BMJ.
Low-intensity activities such as walking and yoga are fine, but the more vigorous the activity, the greater the benefits, an Australian-led team has found.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Although exercise is often recommended, treatment guidelines and previous research vary on how best to prescribe exercise for depression.
To learn more, researchers from Australia and Europe looked at 218 randomized trials that compared exercise with other depression treatments. The study included more than 14,100 participants.
They found that combining exercise with SSRI antidepressants and psychotherapy had meaningful effects, suggesting that exercise alongside these established treatments may be beneficial. doing.
Researchers reported significant reductions in depression with dance, and moderate reductions with walking, jogging, yoga, strength training, mixed aerobic exercise, and tai chi and qi gong.
The study found that walking and jogging were beneficial for both men and women, but women benefited more from strength training, and men benefited more from yoga and qigong. Yoga was effective for older adults, while strength training was most effective for younger adults.
Researchers said exercise appeared to be equally effective for people with and without other health conditions, and for people with different levels of depression. Exercising alone or in a group had similar effects.
“Our findings support the inclusion of exercise, particularly vigorous-intensity exercise, as part of clinical practice guidelines for depression,” the authors said in a journal news release.
The study’s lead author is Michael Noetel, a lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland in Australia.
In an accompanying editorial, Juan Ángel Veron of the University of Malaga in Spain writes, “Primary care clinicians should consider exercise, psychotherapy, or antidepressants as sole alternatives for adults with mild or moderate depression.” I am now able to recommend medicine.”
But regular exercise can be difficult for people with depression, and more research is needed to evaluate physical activity programs for people with depression, he said.
For more information
The Mayo Clinic is further researching the role of exercise in reducing depression and anxiety.
sauce: BMJNews Release, February 14, 2024
Proper training can help relieve symptoms of depression.
