Exercise as a Nonpharmacological Treatment for Depression

Abstract

Exercise is an efficacious treatment approach for the prevention and management of depression. In this article, we review the efficacy of aerobic exercise and resistance training in the treatment of depression, including comparative efficacy to pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. We describe existing exercise interventions for depression and provide recommendations for how to prescribe exercise for the treatment of depression, ways to maximize intervention adherence, and safety considerations. We also review clinical considerations relevant to exercise in a select subset of special circumstances, including bipolar depression, perinatal depression, and depression in the context of chronic pain conditions and substance use disorders. [ Psychiatr Ann. 2019;49(1):6–10.]