How much exercise is needed to ease depression?
A new study in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) by Laird et al has found that just 20 minutes of moderate exercise a day for 5 days a week can lower the risk of depressive symptoms significantly.
Methods. The study aimed to find the lowest dose of exercise needed to see an improvement in symptoms of depression. Data from the Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing was used. This involved observing a group of older adults (over 50), both with and without chronic diseases, over a 10-year period. These people had conditions frequently linked to depression including diabetes, chronic pain, and heart disease.
Results. Only 2.5 hours of moderate exercise, specifically brisk walking, per week was linked to a 25% lower risk of depression. This means that lower doses of exercise than the public health recommendation may improve and protect the mental health of adults long-term.
Conclusion. This is not advising that people exercise less as those who exercised 2 hours a day saw the biggest improvement. However, these smaller goals of 20 minutes may be more achievable if you find exercise challenging for various reasons.
What does ‘moderate intensity exercise’ include?
- A brisk walk
- Dancing
- A bike ride
- Mowing the lawn.
Doing some type of physical activity every day is key to a healthy lifestyle. Talk to your GP before starting a new exercise routine if you have any concerns or medical conditions, or if you haven’t exercised in a while. Make sure you are doing exercise that is appropriate for your fitness level.
