Scientists find exercise rivals therapy for depression

A large review of studies suggests that exercise can ease depression about as effectively as psychological therapy. Compared with antidepressants, exercise showed similar benefits, though the evidence was less certain. Researchers found that light to moderate activity over multiple sessions worked best, with few side effects. While it’s not a cure-all, exercise may be a powerful and accessible tool for many people.

Exercise may reduce depression symptoms as effectively as therapy, and possibly even antidepressants, according to a major review of clinical trials. Credit: Shutterstock

Regular physical activity may ease symptoms of depression about as effectively as psychological therapy, according to an updated Cochrane review. When researchers compared exercise with antidepressant medication, they found similar benefits, although the certainty of that evidence was lower.

Depression remains a major global health challenge, affecting more than 280 million people worldwide and contributing significantly to disability. Exercise stands out as a low cost and widely accessible option that also improves physical health, making it appealing to both patients and healthcare professionals.

Overall, the findings showed that exercise led to moderate reductions in depressive symptoms compared with no treatment. When measured against psychological therapy, exercise produced similar improvements, based on moderate certainty evidence from ten trials. Comparisons with antidepressant medication also suggested comparable effects, but the supporting evidence was limited and considered low certainty.

The review found that light to moderate intensity activity may be more helpful than vigorous workouts. Greater improvements in depressive symptoms were linked to completing between 13 and 36 exercise sessions.

No single form of exercise clearly outperformed others. However, programs that combined different types of activity and resistance training appeared more effective than aerobic exercise alone.