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Some studies show aerobic exercise to be the most beneficial for improving depression with running and walking topping the list. We don’t know the specific details of exactly how exercise helps depression. There are several possible scientific explanations. Personally, I think it’s most likely a combination of them.
You can incorporate regular exercise, even just walking, into your life as an effective preventative and treatment for depression. One Harvard study showed that exercise is every bit as powerful as medication for treating the symptoms and root causes of depression. Another meta-analysis stressed frequency over intensity:
Data regarding the positive mood effects of exercise involvement, independent of fitness gains, suggest that the focus should be on frequency of exercise rather than duration or intensity until the behavior has been well established.”
