What scientific research studies say about exercise and depression

A new study now supports the popular claim that physical activity may be an effective prevention strategy for depression.

Many studies have established a link between depression and exercise. A new study now supports the popular claim that physical activity may be an effective prevention strategy for depression. The study conducted by a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators is published in JAMA Psychiatry. Karmel Choi, PhD, of the Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit in the MGH Center for Genomic Medicine, said that their finding that higher levels of physical activity may causally reduce the risk for depression is very useful because it adds to the list of the most effective preventive measures against depression. Choi added that any activity appears to be better than none and that replacing sitting with 15 minutes of a heart-pumping activity like running, or with an hour of moderately vigorous activity, is enough to lower depression risk.

Other ways exercise helps reduce the risk of and beat depression

A study published in the Journal of Depression and Anxiety said that those with mental health issues like depression experience antidepressant effects with the help of supervised aerobic exercises.

Another study talked about the importance of combining exercise with meditation to effectively deal with depression. According to lead author Brandon Alderman from Rutgers University's school of arts and sciences, 'by learning to focus their attention and exercise, people who are fighting depression can acquire new cognitive skills that can help them process information and reduce the overwhelming recollection of memories from the past.' This study was published in published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

Research has also suggested that physical activity as part of a treatment plan for depression -- exercise as moderate as walking -- could help the carriers of a specific gene -- BDNF genetic variation that predisposes one to depression.

When you say exercise, it doesn't have to mean spending long hours in the gym. A study revealed how exercising for just one hour every week can help prevent depression. The results, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, showed that people of all ages can gain mental health benefits from even small amounts of exercise. The team found that 12 per cent of cases of depression could have been prevented if participants undertook just one hour of physical activity each week.