Dance is most effective exercise for depression, stretching benefits men more – and other interesting facts about exercise

It is common knowledge that exercise is good ‘medicine’, but when it comes to tackling depression, some forms of exercise are better than others.

A recent systematic review, published in The BMJ and conducted by an international team of researchers, analysed different types and intensities of exercise to identify the most effective treatments for individuals. This meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found the most impactful exercise modalities included walking, jogging, yoga, strength training and dancing.

The authors found that the “benefits from exercise tended to be proportional to the intensity prescribed, with vigorous activity being better. Benefits were equally effective for different weekly doses, for people with different comorbidities, or for different baseline levels of depression”.

As mentioned, dance appears to be a highly-effective treatment for depression. Another study, published just a few weeks before The BMJ’s, provides a few clues as to why.

The study, comprehensive in nature, involved individuals of varying ages, from seven to 85 years old. These participants included both healthy individuals and those with chronic conditions like Parkinson’s disease, heart failure, cerebral palsy, and fibromyalgia.

The dance programs that were analysed covered a wide range of styles, such as theatrical dance, aerobic dance, traditional forms, and social dancing.

These programs were compared to a variety of other physical activities, including team sports, martial arts, walking, and weight training. The results of the study indicated that engaging in structured dance, regardless of the style, generally showed similar or sometimes greater effectiveness compared to other forms of physical activity.

This was especially noticeable in the improvement of psychological and cognitive outcomes, such as emotional well-being, depression, motivation, social understanding, and certain aspects of memory. In summary, the data suggests that dance may offer more benefits than other physical activities in enhancing psychological well-being and cognitive abilities for a few key reasons:

1. Learning dance routines could potentially boost cognitive skills;

2. Participating in partner or group dances can enrich social interactions;

3. The artistic nature of dance may help improve psychological wellness. Dance, it’s important to note, is recognised as a form of art therapy, a type of psychotherapy that promotes the creative expression of oneself through various mediums (painting, drawing, etc.)

Interestingly, according to The BMJ review, while walking or jogging proved effective for both genders, strength training exhibited greater efficacy for women, whereas yoga showed more effectiveness for men.

Recent research has shown that women tend to get more health benefits from exercise than men. This includes strength training. Why? Well, the jury is still out. Nevertheless, the science suggests that women who lift more, live more.

In other words, they live longer and have a higher quality of life than those who don’t. As to why men appear to get more benefits from yoga than women, it could have something to do with the stretching aspect.

A 2013 study found that stretching provides more physical advantages for men than women. Stretching not only benefits physical well-being, but it also appears to have a positive impact on mental well-being.

Stress is a common experience for everyone, but it is more likely to cause depression in men than women. When stress occurs, it can result in muscle tension, leading to discomfort and persistent pain.

The physiological pain can quickly become psychological in nature. By engaging in stretching exercises — a core component of yoga training — the tension in the muscles can be alleviated, breaking the cycle of tension, tightening and pain. Furthermore, stretching has been proven to elevate serotonin levels, a hormone that plays a crucial role in stabilising our mood.

In those battling depression, serotonin production is often compromised. Additionally, the authors of The BMJ review found that yoga displayed slightly higher effectiveness among older adults, while strength training yielded better results among younger individuals.

A 2021 study led by researchers at the University of Arizona noted that “yoga practice has positive effects on cellular aging, mobility, balance, mental health, and prevention of cognitive decline — all areas of concern for older adults”.

When asked why strength training is so good for younger people, Dr David Lubans, an Australian academic well versed in all things exercise-related, said that “resistance training during adolescence is very important because this when the body accrues bone mineral density”.

A study from last year, published in Sports Medicine, found evidence that strength training boosts cognitive performance in younger individuals, including academic performance. This perhaps has something to do with the memory-boosting effects of resistance training.

Dr John Cronin, a strength and training specialist at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, told The Independent that “there is compelling evidence that the stronger you are, the less likely you are to get injured”.

He said that strength training is important for both the young and the old. He’s right. It is.

In more senior individuals, as in those aged 65 or older, resistance training has been shown to greatly improve both muscle strength and have positive effects on working memory and short-term memory. To be clear, the latter allows you to, for instance, remember a series of numbers, while the former enables you to add, subtract, etc.

Cronin said that he “touches base with strength training every day, as I see it more important than my aerobic training for many reasons”. Quite simply, he added, “if you haven’t got the strength to get out of your seat or bed (a reality for some — old, inactive, disabled, injured) or put one step in front of the other with confidence, then your aerobic training becomes compromised and can even lead to heightened likelihood of injury”.

To put a fresh spin on Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” theory, individuals who are the strongest and fittest appear more likely to survive, thrive and lead healthier lives.

Cronin added: “Having the prerequisite strength therefore enables an active lifestyle and healthy aging.”

As a colleague of mine told me, added the New Zealander, “you don’t get weak because you get old, you get old because you get weak”.

Dr Brad Schoenfeld, one of the world’s leading experts on muscle growth and fat loss, told The Independent that “strength training has numerous benefits that many people aren’t aware of.

“For one, it’s been shown to have potent effects on mental health. It also has appreciable benefits on cardiovascular risk factors including insulin resistance, hypertension, and lipid profile. Moreover, it can be an effective adjunct (in combination with diet) to reduce body fat”.

The author and director of the Human Performance Lab at CUNY Lehman College in New York City was quick to add that “research shows that resistance training decreases the risk of all-cause mortality by 15pc”.

Dr Lubans, an expert in the benefits of physical activity and proper nutrition, said that he is “always reluctant to promote one form of activity over another”.

That’s because, “from a public health perspective, most people struggle to meet the physical activity guidelines”.

His point is a fair one.

In Ireland, it is estimated that one in seven people are inactive. In other words, they don’t do any form of exercise. Getting people involved in an activity that is enjoyable, according to Lubans, “is the most important” point, and “getting people to adhere to an exercise program is the biggest challenge”.

However, he said, “if you forced me to choose, I would probably say aerobic activity like walking, running because this can fit easily into people’s lives”.

The takeaway message is clear: movement, in any form, is good — for the mind, the body and even, as a true Yogi might say, the soul.