AUDIO – WALK THE WALK –
Jan. 12, 2026 – If you feel a lift after exercise, you’re in good company. Movement can boost mood, and according to the results of a new study, it can also help relieve symptoms of depression.
As part of a review of evidence by the Cochrane collaboration — an independent network of researchers — scientists evaluated 73 randomized controlled trials that included about 5,000 people with depression, many of whom also tried antidepressant medication.
“It’s much easier for a primary care physician to prescribe medication to a patient. You just write it on a pad,” Fabiano says. It’s harder to prescribe exercise, which takes time and effort and can be difficult to start for people who are depressed.
