Exercise for Depression: Effective Routines Backed by Research

Have you ever noticed how a short walk can elevate your mood?

Or how, after a game of football, we forget the little irritants of the day?

These small moments reveal something important. That movement in any form has a powerful effect on our emotional well-being.

When someone is experiencing depressive symptoms, movement often feels like the last thing they are capable of. Because depression just doesn’t affect how we feel emotionally, it also affects our energy levels, motivation, concentration, and even hope. In such moments, being told to ‘exercise more’ can feel frustrating and, at times, even invalidating. But decades of research have consistently shown that exercise, when approached realistically, can play a vital role in easing depressive symptoms.

How Does Depression Cause The Loss of Energy?

One of the core features of depression is psychomotor slowing, which is a sense that both body and mind are moving through resistance. Tasks that were once automatic or extremely normal, like getting out of bed, taking a shower, or going out with friends, can feel exhausting. Here, motivation is not just simply low; it’s inaccessible. This is why it’s important to understand that exercise for depression is not just about productivity. It is about working with our body and brain. Research has shown that small amounts of physical activity, regardless of intensity or fitness level, can initiate changes in the brain that aid recovery.

The Science Behind Depression and Exercise

Regular physical activities influence different key neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation, including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These chemicals play a vital role in regulating our emotions, motivation, attention, and pleasure. Exercising stimulates the release of endorphins that act as natural mood elevators and relieve pain. That is why often people will report feeling ‘runner’s high’ after physical strenuous activities. Research has also indicated that depression is associated with reduced levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which affects the brain's ability to adapt and recover. Exercise has been shown to increase BDNF, hence increasing cognitive flexibility and supporting neuroplasticity in individuals.

What Are The Effects of Depression on The Body?

Depression is experienced not just emotionally but also physically. Some common somatic symptoms in depression are fatigue, bodily pain, and gastrointestinal issues. Exercise shows positive effects in cardiovascular functioning, regulating the immune system, and digestive processes.

What Are The Psychological Benefits of Exercise?

1. Creating routine and structure can be helpful when experiencing depressive symptoms. Depression can often disrupt our daily activities like sleep, food, and movement. Keeping a time for exercising helps in reintroducing routine and predictability, which often work as protective factors in mental health.
2. In depression, the belief in one’s ability to act and cope effectively may be compromised. Completing realistic small movement goals reinforces a positive self-belief, like ‘I was able to do it’. Over repeated practices, this helps to counter the feelings of low self-worth and helplessness.
3. Another major indicator of depression is rumination, viz, repetitive negative thinking. Exercise can act as a behavioral and attentional shift that grounds individuals in bodily sensation and present awareness.

Read more about which one helps better - mental exercises or physical exercises.

What Types of Exercise Are The Most Effective for Depression?

• Aerobic exercise: Empirical data support that aerobic activities like walking, swimming, dancing, and running have a positive impact on mental health. Meta-analyses have shown that medium intensity aerobic exercise for 30-45 minutes, 3-5 times per week, can lead to a significant reduction in symptoms of depression.
• Strength training: Resistance-based training has been associated with improved self-esteem and a reduction in depressive symptoms.
• Yoga and Mindfulness practices: Practicing yoga and mindfulness-based exercises helps to regulate our emotions. This increases distress tolerance and improves autonomic nervous system balance. Research has shown that yoga is effective in reducing symptoms of depression, especially when trauma and anxiety are present.
• Walking: It is an aerobic exercise that has shown to reduce symptoms of depression, in cases of mild or moderate symptoms. It is often more accessible and has the least number of barriers to starting.

An important aspect to consider is that depression does not look the same for everyone, nor does the relationship with exercise. Some people may find movement relieving, while others may initially feel frustrated and disconnected from their bodies. That does not mean exercising isn’t working. For many individuals, especially those who have experienced prolonged stress or long periods of emotional numbness, reconnecting with the body can take time. In these cases, a slower and more mindful form of movement, like walking or yoga, may feel more tolerable and comfortable.

Social context is also an important factor to consider. Moving the body in isolation can feel difficult. But the same movement with a friend or a group class can feel more achievable. It is important to acknowledge the barriers that interfere with regular exercise during depression. Rather than viewing these obstacles as personal failures, it is more helpful to see them as part of the depressive experience.

When Exercising Is Not Enough

In cases of persistent severe depression with the presence of suicidal thoughts, professional mental health care is important. Exercise doesn’t substitute mental healthcare. It can be integrated with medication, therapy, and social support to escalate recovery.

How to Start if Motivation Is Low?

When energy levels are low, it becomes especially important to approach movement with compassion and flexibility rather than pressure or high expectations. At this stage, exercise can look as simple as 5-15 minutes of slow, unhurried walking. A few minutes of gentle stretching, or any form of light movement that feels possible on that day. Engaging in such activities three to four days a week is more than sufficient to begin with. The emphasis here is not on intensity or progress but on maintaining a sense of continuity and connection with the body. Even these small efforts can help signal safety and stability to the nervous system. Over time, regularly showing up for brief moments of period can build confidence and gently lay the foundation for increased activity. Reminding ourselves that consistency and self-kindness matter far more than duration. Especially when motivation levels are low, the aim is not to push ourselves harder to meet a difficult goal. The aim is to simply show up.