Gerry Gajadharsingh writes:
“Hot on the heels of my recent blog regarding the mental health crisis in the younger generation here is some great evidence focusing on exercise.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, sought to establish what types of exercise are best at helping with depression, reviewing data from clinical trials involving 14,170 people.
The latest NHS figures show 8.6 million people in England take antidepressants. Exercise is already recommended for depression under UK clinical guidelines, but in practice it is rarely prescribed, with few group exercise classes available for free.
With the NHS already struggling to provide critical medical intervention, I’m not sure that expecting it to provide exercise prescription for “free” is the answer. Much of our ill health, including mental health can be improved by improving lifestyle and exercise is extremely beneficial for many health relief problems, with minimum costs attached such as walking, interval training, gardening etc.
Overall, aerobic exercise was found to be more effective than taking antidepressants, while several types of activity including jogging and dancing had a bigger impact than cognitive behavioural therapy.
Noetel said the research suggested that the type of exercise could be tailored to different groups of patients, with yoga particularly helpful for depression in older men, and strength training most helpful for younger women.
Dr Paul Keedwell, consultant psychiatrist and fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “The power of exercise to lift mood is often overlooked. Social interaction might be almost as important as the physiological effects of exercise (with group activities such as yoga, dance and walking groups being particularly helpful), and context is probably important too, with additional benefits to be gained in green and natural environments.
Personally, I find that my sport off Fencing is a fantastic exercise as it is really high intensity interval training (HIIT), strength, endurance, flexibility and balance, coupled with mind games, all rolled into one.”
The Times
Eleanor Haywood
Running or yoga can be more effective than drugs or therapy, research shows, with dancing the most powerful way to tackle mental health problems
Running or yoga should be “core treatments” for depression and can be more effective than drugs or therapy, new research shows.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, sought to establish what types of exercise are best at helping with depression, reviewing data from clinical trials involving 14,170 people.
They found that all types of physical activity help lift the mood, but that vigorous exercise such as running or interval training had the greatest benefit.
Group classes — particularly yoga and dance — were also highly effective at improving symptoms of depression, as the social interaction involved can provide added benefits.
Overall, aerobic exercise was found to be more effective than taking antidepressants, while several types of activity including jogging and dancing had a bigger impact than cognitive behavioural therapy.
The study said exercise should be considered as a “core treatment for depression”, and the NHS should offer exercise classes alongside other treatments including antidepressants and psychotherapy.
Latest NHS figures show 8.6 million people in England take antidepressants. Exercise is already recommended for depression under UK clinical guidelines, but in practice it is rarely prescribed, with few group exercise classes available for free.
Lead author Dr Michael Noetel, from the University of Queensland in Australia, said walking and jogging had “few costs, side effects or pragmatic barriers” and appeared to be effective for everyone regardless of the severity of their depression. He added patients who are able to can also do “more intense exercise in a structured environment to further decrease depression symptoms”.
Noetel said the research suggested that the type of exercise could be tailored to different groups of patients, with yoga particularly helpful for depression in older men, and strength training most helpful for younger women.
The study reviewed 218 previous trials involving patients with depression, who did different types of exercise including jogging, yoga, cycling and strength training.
Dancing came out on top as the most effective, followed by jogging, and then yoga. Smaller, although still clinically important effects were seen for milder types of activity, such as stretching or tai chi.
Commenting on the study, Professor Jonathan Roiser, mental health group leader at University College London, said: “The authors conclude that exercise should be considered seriously by doctors when treating depression, and I would agree. Physical activity is actually currently included in the UK Nice [National Institute for Healthcare and Excellence] guidelines for depression, but unfortunately it is rarely prescribed in practice, even though we know it works.
“What is needed is a cultural shift in the way we think about treating depression which emphasises the important role that physical activity can play, alongside standard treatments like medication and therapy.”
Dr Paul Keedwell, consultant psychiatrist and fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “The power of exercise to lift mood is often overlooked. Social interaction might be almost as important as the physiological effects of exercise (with group activities such as yoga, dance and walking groups being particularly helpful), and context is probably important too, with additional benefits to be gained in green and natural environments.”
Professor Michael Bloomfield, a consultant psychiatrist based at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said it was important to note that many people with depression struggle to exercise.
He said: “When people experience more severe forms of depression simply offering exercise may not be completely helpful, for example, when someone is struggling to get out of bed let alone get to the gym.
“Depression is often caused by a range of factors and it is more helpful to think about the pros and cons of a range of treatments including medication, talking therapy and exercise, that can be offered to patients, rather than an unhelpful division of medication v talking therapy v exercise.”