Research suggests exercise may be more effective for treating depression than antidepressant drugs, with dancing far surpassing all other activities and pharmacological treatments—and intense exercise close behind.
A paper published in the BMJ found that exercise was moderately effective at treating depression compared to existing treatments when used alone or in combination with other established therapies. Moreover, the benefits from exercise “tended to be proportional to the intensity prescribed,” meaning more vigorous activity yielded more significant benefits.
