The best way to beat the blues just might be exercise—regular exercise that you work into a routine.

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Wondering how to boost your mood with a natural antidepressant? The best starting point is regular exercise. Physical activity releases endorphins, which are brain chemicals that help you feel good while also promoting nerve cell growth, as noted in the University Health News report Overcoming Depression.

Research has found that exercising for as little as 30 minutes per day can be an effective natural antidepressant. A number of studies have focused on aerobic exercise but some have shown that resistance training can also work well.

Get Natural Antidepressant Help in 30 Minutes

Regardless of which type of exercise you pursue, consistency and intensity are important. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, adults should do at least 150 minutes (two and a half hours) a week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.

Not only is exercise a natural antidepressant, it also may protect you from depression or having depressive episode. A report supported in part by the National Institutes of Health details how exercise can work as a natural antidepressant as well as delving into the optimal amounts of exercise needed.

“Observational studies suggest that active people are less likely to be depressed, and interventional studies suggest that exercise is beneficial in reducing depression,” the report concludes. “It appears that even modest levels of exercise are associated with improvements in depression, and while most studies to date have focused on aerobic exercise, several studies also have found evidence that resistance training also may be effective.”

Exercise v. Medication

In a telling study at Duke University, researchers compared exercise and medication. Study participants included 156 older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) split into three groups. One group did aerobic exercise three times per week, the second took sertraline (Zoloft), and the third group combined exercise and sertraline.

After 16 weeks, there was no difference in the level of depression among the groups, suggesting that both medication and exercise were equally effective. But after 10 months, the exercise-only group showed lower rates of depression relapse compared to the other groups.

Also, those who exercised during the 10-month follow-up period were 50 percent less likely to be depressed. The data suggests therefore that exercise can be a natural antidepressant in patients with MDD.

Duration, Frequency, and Intensity of Exercise

Research has shown a range of results with respect to how often and how intense exercise should be in order to work as an effective natural antidepressant. One study found that high-intensity exercise is most effective, although those who exercised less intensively also showed some modest benefits. In the Duke study mentioned above, researchers reported that three aerobic sessions per week of 30 to 45 minutes was enough to reduce depression.

In general, elevating your heart rate is what matters. If you can talk but not sing while you are exercising, you are working in a moderate aerobic zone. Do that for 30 to 45 minutes at least three days a week to help keep depression at bay.

How to Stay Motivated to Exercise

For most people, getting started with exercise is often the hardest part. Not having enough time is also a common hurdle. If you can’t exercise for an hour, try 10-minute bursts of exercise throughout the day. To stay consistent, ask a friend or spouse to work out with you. For some people, a fitness-related fundraiser can be a powerful motivator.

The Duke study, published in the American College of Sports Medicine Health Fitness Journal, offers “Seven Tips for Highly Effective Exercises” tips; click here to view. See also our sidebar below.