What’s the optimal amount and type of exercise to improve symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder?

A new Bayesian network meta-analysis may have the most straightforward answer yet. In this episode, I break down a comprehensive review comparing four primary exercise modalities: aerobic, resistance, mind–body, and mixed training, and their impact on clinically diagnosed MDD.

We explore:

• The U-shaped dose–response curve
• The minimum clinically effective dose (~320 MET-min/week)
• The optimal dose (~860 MET-min/week)
• Why mind–body training works at a lower volume
• How METs standardise intensity across exercise types
• How to build an evidence-aligned movement plan when motivation and energy are low

This is a practical, grounded, science-backed guide to using exercise as one part of a broader approach to healing depression.