Adults who combined several forms of physical activity and incorporated more vigorous exercise were less likely to report depressive symptoms than those whose routines emphasized exercise volume alone, according to a study of nearly 39,000 people.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A workout routine that includes different forms of movement and periods of higher-intensity activity may be more closely associated with better mental health than simply accumulating additional exercise time, according to findings released July 30.
Researchers evaluated nearly 39,000 adults, examining how the amount, intensity, type and variety of exercise performed over three months related to symptoms of depression. Although people who exercised more generally reported fewer depressive symptoms, the strongest associations emerged among participants whose routines included greater diversity and more intense activity.
The researchers accounted for several factors that can influence mental health, including age, body weight, smoking, alcohol consumption, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
Participants completed a depression-screening questionnaire and reported the physical activities they had performed during the previous three months. Rather than dividing respondents only into those who did or did not meet standard exercise recommendations, the researchers evaluated several distinct elements of their routines.
Those measurements included total exercise volume, the intensity of activity, the categories of exercise performed and the degree to which participants distributed their weekly movement across different activities.
Exercise diversity did not refer only to occasionally trying several forms of activity. It measured whether participants regularly spread their movement across multiple exercise categories instead of relying predominantly on one type of workout.
After the researchers considered the exercise characteristics together, variety and intensity showed stronger associations with lower odds of depressive symptoms than total exercise volume by itself.
Participants who engaged in multiple forms of movement and included higher-intensity exercise appeared least likely to report symptoms of depression, according to the study.
“It’s not just about how much you exercise, but how you vary it,” officials said.
The results suggest that the structure and composition of a person’s exercise routine may matter in addition to the total number of minutes spent being active.
A weekly routine, for example, could combine strength training, brisk walking, cycling, pickleball and interval exercise rather than repeatedly relying on a single activity. Such an approach may challenge different physical systems while also providing changing environments, skills and levels of exertion.
Researchers compared exercise diversity with dietary variety. Just as consuming a broader assortment of foods can provide different nutrients, participating in several types of physical activity may stimulate the body and brain in distinct ways.
The study also identified differences between men and women.
Among women, vigorous exercise was particularly strongly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Among men, the strongest relationships appeared with aerobic exercise and mixed-endurance activities, including circuit training, basketball and racket sports.
The researchers said those sex-related differences require additional investigation and should not be interpreted as rigid exercise prescriptions for men or women.
The findings are consistent with earlier research connecting physical activity to improved mental health. A separate analysis involving nearly 80,000 participants found that aerobic exercise reduced depression symptoms with an effect size comparable to antidepressant medications, according to researchers at James Cook University.
Other studies have found that resistance training may reduce depressive symptoms, while researchers have continued examining the biological processes that could explain exercise’s effects on mood.
Physical activity may influence mental health through several overlapping mechanisms, including changes in stress regulation, sleep, inflammation, brain signaling and feelings of confidence or accomplishment. Different forms of exercise may activate those pathways in different ways.
Previous research has also found that the benefits of regular movement extend beyond cardiovascular fitness, weight management and muscle strength to include mental and emotional health.
The July 30 findings do not necessarily indicate that people must devote more time to exercise. Instead, the results suggest that some individuals could potentially benefit by changing how they use the time they already spend being active.
Someone who walks regularly, for example, might add strength training on certain days, brief intervals of faster movement, cycling, swimming or a recreational sport. The study does not establish that any particular combination is best, but it indicates that routines involving several kinds of activity may be associated with better outcomes than repetitive exercise of the same duration.
The research was observational and cannot prove that workout variety or intensity directly prevented depression. It is also possible that people experiencing fewer depressive symptoms were more inclined or able to maintain varied and vigorous exercise routines.
Participants reported both their own activity and depressive symptoms, creating the possibility of incomplete recall or inaccurate reporting. The researchers therefore described the results as associations rather than evidence of cause and effect.
The findings nevertheless align with previous studies indicating that participation in multiple forms of physical activity may offer benefits beyond those achieved by increasing exercise volume alone. Earlier research has also associated a broader range of regular physical activities with a reduced risk of death.
Larger reviews have identified exercise as an important element of depression treatment, although physical activity should not automatically be considered a replacement for professional care, counseling or medication when those treatments are needed.
World Health Organization recommendations encourage adults to combine aerobic movement with muscle-strengthening activity during the week. The new study suggests that varying the type and intensity of those activities may have additional relevance for mental health.
Researchers said future studies should examine whether deliberately changing workout variety or intensity produces measurable improvements in depression and whether particular exercise combinations are more effective for different groups of people.
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