8 Exercises to Improve Symptoms of Depression

In addition to providing a physical boost, exercise is a lifeline for mental health.

In the United States, in 2021 alone, 20% of teenagers and 8% of adults experienced a major depressive episode. More than around 300 million individuals worldwide suffer from depression, which can impair everyday functioning and lower quality of life.

Treatments like counseling and medicine can reduce depression symptoms, so contact a healthcare provider if you frequently experience them.

Certain exercises can do more than tone your muscles; they can also tone your mood. This is true whether you choose the serenity of yoga, the rush of a run, or the uncomplicated joy of a stroll in the park.

According to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA, walking 7,000 steps a day can dramatically lower one’s chance of developing depression.

How Can Exercise Ease Depression?

Frequent physical activity can alleviate depression by:

Releasing feel-good endorphins: Endorphins are chemical compounds in the brain that make you feel better.

Distancing yourself from worries: Focusing on physical activity can help you break free from negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and sadness.

Boost confidence: Reaching fitness objectives or obstacles, no matter how minor, helps you feel more confident. Being physically fit can also improve your self-esteem.

Increase your social interaction: Being physically active and exercising may increase your chances of meeting and interacting with people. Smiling or greeting people as you pass by in your area can improve your attitude.

The Best Exercises for Depression:

1. Running

Running is enthralling and rigorous, bringing peace to mind, body, and soul. It is considered one of the best exercises for health and fitness. Running not only burns calories but also balances and tones the body.

According to Cleveland-based psychiatrist David Muzina, MD, senior medical director of Medical Mutual of Ohio, “the most concrete example of exercise stimulating certain brain chemicals is the runner’s high; many athletes report experiencing once crossing an amount of exertion.”

Running brings spiritual healing to our minds. The hormones released from running are known to bring a positive mood change, and the activity helps you to sleep better. It will further relax and act as an anti-depressant. Also, running builds up confidence and self-esteem, making way for more positive thoughts.

2. Yoga

According to one study, yoga reduces depressive symptoms, particularly when paired with standard treatment like cognitive behavioral therapy.

According to Norman E. Rosenthal, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, “Eastern traditions like yoga have a wonderful anti-depressant effect in that they improve flexibility; involve mindfulness, which breaks up repetitive negative thoughts; increase strength; make you aware of your breathing; improve balance; and contain a meditative component.”

3. Aerobic Workout

An aerobic workout raises your respiratory and heart rates. Consider Zumba, swimming, cycling, jogging, or even a vigorous walk. Regular aerobic exercise has been repeatedly demonstrated to be a substantial treatment for depression.

It is believed to function by lowering stress and anxiety, enhancing sleep, and generating endorphins—those feel-good chemicals in the brain. For optimal effects, try to get in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise most days of the week.

4. Strength Training

Strength training entails developing muscle strength and endurance by applying resistance (such as weights or resistance bands). Research shows that strength training can help people with depression feel less depressed than cardiovascular exercise.

It could promote feelings of accomplishment, enhance body image, and raise self-esteem. Try to get in two or three strength training sessions weekly, focusing on each leading muscle group.

5. Tai Chi

Tai chi is another Eastern discipline that, like yoga, may help alleviate depression. A review of studies suggests that this calm, gentle technique may specifically help lower stress and alleviate depressive symptoms.

According to Dr. Lavretsky’s 15-year research on the health effects of tai chi, patients who practiced tai chi once a week and received normal antidepressant medication demonstrated a “significantly greater increase in the DMN connectivity than patients taking health education classes in brain imaging results.”

She says practicing tai chi “improves brain neuroplasticity by training the brain to form the connections between regions of the brain which regulate movement, mood, and cognitive function.”

6. Brisk Walk

Walking is an aerobic workout suitable for nearly everyone, so putting one foot in front of the other could be the key to feeling better. All you need to get started is a supportive, comfy pair of shoes.

The Health Research Board (HRB) Ireland-funded study, published in JAMA Network Open, discovered that taking five brisk walks of 20 minutes per week dramatically decreased depression.

7. Swimming

Water relaxes, calms, and excites us. And summing is a great way to unwind, destress, and work out. You can add fun by participating in leisure activities with balls or swim toys. Also, swimming helps change your mood, and after swimming, you sleep better.

8. Outdoor Activities

Simple outdoor activities like gardening, playing catch with your children, or washing your car can improve your mood if you enjoy being outside. Sunlight has been demonstrated to promote increases in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that supports mood, which could be one explanation. Some cases of seasonal affective disorder have been linked to changes in brain chemistry that occur during the colder, darker months.

When to Seek Professional Help

Exercise is not necessarily a stand-alone remedy for depression, even though it can significantly reduce its symptoms. Combining treatment, medicine, and exercise gives some people a more holistic recovery path.

It’s critical to know when to seek medical attention.

It’s time to see a mental health professional if, despite frequent exercise, you continue to feel depressed, hopeless, uninterested in everyday activities, or contemplate self-harm. Strong indicators include changes in your energy levels, appetite, or sleep patterns that interfere with your daily life. Recall that asking for assistance is an act of bravery rather than weakness.

Conclusion

Including exercise in your daily routine can be a game-changer for depression management. These activities empower both the mind and body, ranging from the energizing thrill of a run to the meditative stillness of yoga. Enhancing mood, lowering stress, and building long-term resilience are some of its advantages that go beyond the short term.

Keep in mind that consistency is essential. Over time, even the tiniest actions, like taking a ten-minute stroll, can significantly impact. Even though depression can feel overwhelming, every step, stretch, and swim is a step toward recovery and hope.

• Apr 2017
  Written by Minu Manisha
• Jan 2025
  Edited by Ankita Sethy