Four ways to lift your mood without antidepressants

If laughter is the best medicine, exercise must surely come a close second. This week, a new study found it is twice as effective as antidepressants when it comes to treating depression.

Researchers from the University of Queensland, Australia, found all types of activity lifted mood, but aerobic exercise was most effective, while group classes such as yoga offered a social benefit, and they concluded that exercise should be considered a “core treatment for depression”. So, what else can help?

Oily fish

A 2021 study by King’s College London found that the fatty acids in oily fish can help reduce the symptoms of depression. The researchers found they help by reducing inflammation, high levels of which are often found in people suffering from the illness.

“We are unequivocally what we eat,” says Damian Bailey, a professor of physiology and biochemistry and Director of the Neurovascular Research Laboratory at the University of South Wales. “Diet is often the poor sister of brain health, with a lot of the focus on exercise, but there are potential dietary interventions that can protect our brains and help reduce anxiety and depression, and oily fish is just one example.”

Another is the Mediterranean diet. In 2018, researchers from University College London found that the diet’s rich source of fruits, vegetables, fish and legumes meant those who followed it were a third less likely to develop depression. “There is compelling evidence to show a relationship between the quality of your diet and your mental health,” said study author Camille Lassale, who concluded that a “healthier, plant-rich, anti-inflammatory diet can help in the prevention of depression”.

Weight training

This latest study from the University of Queensland found that strength training was particularly beneficial for women as an antidepressant (and young people). This isn’t the first time the benefits of resistance training, which can include lifting weights, but also body weight exercises such as planks and push ups, have been linked to improving women’s mental health. 

In 2015, a study from the University of Limerick looked at women with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD, a condition involving chronic nervousness) and found those who did strength training saw improvements in their sleep quality and anxiety. Other types of exercise also helped, but lifting weights showed the strongest results.

Meanwhile, a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2021 found that lifting weights can help decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression among men and women.

Being in nature

In 2021, researchers from the University of York found that participating in activities outside reduced anxiety levels and decreased the risk of depression. “We’ve known for some time that being in nature is good for health and wellbeing, but our study reinforces the growing evidence that doing things in nature is associated with large gains in mental health,” says Dr Peter Coventry, lead author of the study, who also found that socialising in nature can reduce anxiety. 

“If you want a triple whammy of benefits, exercise in nature with friends, which is incredibly neuro-protective,” says Professor Bailey. “We’re increasingly finding that social interaction while exercising has a protective effect on the brain, and can help reduce symptoms of depression.” 

Ketamine infusion

In the UK, ketamine is a drug licensed for use as an anaesthetic. The NHS states it can also work as an antidepressant, but it isn’t licensed for this use. Some NHS trusts however offer a self-pay ketamine treatment service for people with depression who haven’t responded to other treatments.

Some researchers claim that ketamine can help reduce symptoms, and tech entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk are said to take small doses to ease depression. However, the Royal College of Psychiatrists said in a 2017 statement: “Despite clinical trials showing rapid improvement in mood after ketamine infusion, there are still significant gaps in our knowledge about dosage levels, treatment protocols and the effectiveness and safety of long-term use.

“Before ketamine can be recommended for use in clinical practice, extensive research is required to understand how to optimally use ketamine for treating depression. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has concerns for patient safety; and hence recommends mental health practitioners to proceed with caution when treating patients with ketamine.”