Workouts Rival Medications for Depression Relief.

In 2021, Yumeng Xie and a team from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University reviewed many studies on how exercise helps people with depression. They looked at different kinds of workouts like running, swimming, or yoga, and how they change brain chemicals, reduce swelling, and improve mood. Exercise works by boosting happy brain signals like serotonin and dopamine, growing new brain cells, and cutting down harmful stress.

The findings showed exercise cuts depression symptoms by 20-30%, matching or beating some pills, and boosts thinking skills like memory by 15-25%. It also lowers body inflammation markers like cytokines by 10-20%, helping the brain heal. Even short workouts, like 30 minutes a day, can reverse low mood and make people feel more energetic.

Add exercise like walking, yoga, or strength training to your daily routine to lift your mood and fight depression.