On Friday morning, I joined an insightful webinar titled “Intensity as a Key Variable in Exercise for Mental Health,” presented by @fitpro_ltd and @marcelle.malan_ep .

Four different types of conditions were covered: Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety, and Schizophrenia.

Of all of these conditions, major depressive disorder is the most extensively researched with regards to exercise. Here are a few key takeaways I gathered from that part of the webinar.

👉 Studies show that exercise is the most effective tool for helping mild to moderate depression, outperforming all other interventions, including medications.

👉 For cardiovascular fitness, evidence suggests that moderate to high-intensity exercise is more effective than low-intensity exercise. The recommended minimum amount is 3 times a week, with a cumulative total of at least 90 minutes a week.

👉 There are significant gaps in the research on resistance (strength) training, with no specific guidelines for mental health.