Exercise and Depression

Exercise is a bona fide mood booster for people with or without depression. If you’re down in the dumps, try climbing out by breaking a sweat. A four-year study, the results of which were published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, found that depressed patients who do not find relief from their medication could improve, or even go into remission, by adding in daily aerobic exercise.
After 12 weeks of daily sweat sessions, 30 percent of the depressed volunteers (who had been depressed for an average of seven years) achieved full remission, while another 20 percent showed significant improvement.
For men, vigorous exercise worked better than moderate levels. For women, moderate exercise, like a brisk walk, was more effective when they had a family history of mental illness. Those without fared better with higher-intensity activities.