The Best Exercises for Depression Treatment

Why should you try exercises for depression treatment? Exercise has been widely known to help treat depression. Not only does it release feel-good endorphins, it gives structure to our days as well as distracts us from our depressed thoughts. In this post, you'll find the best exercises for depression treatment.

Top 3 Exercises for Depression and Mood

1. Running

This aerobic activity gets a great deal of attention in helping to treat depression. There is a reason we’ve all heard of the "runner’s high." It is thought that running releases feel-good chemicals like endorphins to help improve mood. Meeting running goals also gives the runner confidence, which can help counteract feelings of depression. Yet, there are other exercises for depression treatment in addition to running.

2. Strength Training

While running gets the lion’s share of attention for helping to treat depression – a doctor even told me that I needed to run, not lift weights, as an exercise for depression – I’ve found that weight lifting has a tremendous effect on my mood.

There are research-based findings to back up what I’ve intuitively known all along: strength training is one of the great exercises for depression treatment. In a study, comparing running and weight lifting, results indicated that no significant differences between exercise groups were found, and improvements were reasonably well-maintained over time.¹ Another study showed that 80 percent of older adults with depression experienced a significant reduction in symptoms after a 10-week resistance training program.²

Every time I take a break from working out with weights and then resume again, I’m always left with the same thought: why did I ever stop? The feeling I get after lifting weights, especially after an intense workout, can often be described as euphoric.

3. Yoga

As much as I love lifting weights, yoga is currently my go-to exercise for my depression. Not only do the physical movements get my body moving which puts me in a better mood, but the mindful breathing that accompanies yoga helps to put me in a calm state of mind.

Studies have shown that yoga is a good exercise for depression treatment.³ A study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry even found that Sudarshan Kriya, a breathing-based yoga, improved symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who were not responding to antidepressants (Depression Treatment for Hard-to-Treat Depression).⁴

While I’ve found these to be the top three exercises for depression, rest assured that engaging in any sustained physical activity will likely improve your mood.

Please check out my video below on green space exercises for depression.

Sources
1. Ossip-Klein, DJ, Effects of running or weight lifting on self-concept in clinically depressed women. NCBI, Accessed April 4, 2018.
2. Singh, NA, A randomized controlled trial of progressive resistance training in depressed elders. NCBI, Accessed April 4, 2018.
3. Whiteman, Honor, Yoga can help to treat depression, studies show. Medical News Today, Accessed April 4, 2018.
4. Sharma, Anup, A Breathing-Based Meditation Intervention for Patients With Major Depressive Disorder Following Inadequate Response to Antidepressants: A Randomized Pilot Study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Accessed April 4, 2018.