Can sports and exercise help?

The researchers mainly wanted to find out whether participating in sports and exercise programs can relieve the symptoms of depression. Their results showed that sports and exercise have an effect, even though it tends to be small. In other words: People who participated in exercise programs had, on average, somewhat fewer symptoms than people who didn't participate and who also didn't receive any other form of treatment. So the programs didn’t provide major relief from the symptoms. What’s more, many participants dropped out of the programs early. This could be seen as a sign that the type of suggested exercise – usually jogging or Nordic walking – may not have been right for everyone.

There were hardly any studies comparing the different exercise programs with one another. For this reason it isn’t possible to say whether the type, intensity, or frequency of physical exercise make a difference.

Sports and exercise typically can't replace psychotherapy or antidepressants for the treatment of moderate to severe depression, but they can be a useful addition. In mild depression, they are a good alternative for people who don't want to start a treatment right away.

The review of these studies leaves many questions unanswered: Is the influence of sports and exercise the same in mild, moderate and severe depression – or are there differences? Are sports and exercise more effective when done in groups or individually? How long does the effect last? Might it also sometimes be a bad idea to encourage someone to get more exercise? After all, people with severe depression find it almost impossible to be physically active. This is easier for someone who has mild depression.