By Erin Berger, Outside

We know that a good sweat session can do wonders for your mood, but new research is showing that it can go much farther than that.

Building on previous studies suggesting that exercise could benefit those suffering from depression, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have suggested a precise aerobic and resistance exercise regimen for people with major depressive disorder. Following this exercise “prescription” could have anti-depressive effects comparable to medication for some patients.

“All treatments for depression are good but not perfect,” Madhukar Trivedi, a doctor and one of the authors of the study, says. “There still remains a huge need for novel treatments.” A slew of studies say that exercise could be a good additional option for people already on an antidepressant, who might be feeling better but not completely well.

Trivedi and doctor Chad Rethorst wanted to take a more rigorous look at that suggestion. They based their conclusions on existing studies of exercise as part of treatment for patients diagnosed with mild to moderate forms of MDD. That is, patients who exhibit the “most devastating dysfunction associated with the disease.” That includes difficulty with personal relationships and loss of appetite, as well as high rates of suicide.

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