According to a study out of Rutgers’ Department of Exercise Science, mental and physical (MAP) training that combines meditation and aerobic exercise can reduce depression and rumination while enhancing synchronized brain activity. MAP training was translated from neuroscientific studies that indicated MAP training increased neurogenesis in the adult brain.

The researchers said each session consisted of 30 minutes of focused-attention (FA) meditation and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. The study consisted of 52 participants over eight weeks, with two sessions per week.

The results of the study were that 22 individuals with major depressive disorder reported significantly less depressive symptoms and ruminative thoughts. The 30 healthy individuals also reported less depressive symptoms at follow-up. While other studies indicate individual beneficial effects of aerobic exercise and meditation for depression, these findings indicate that a combination of the two may be particularly effective in increasing cognitive control processes and decreasing ruminative thought patterns.

For more information, read the full study.

https://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v6/n2/full/tp2015225a.html

Razi Berry, Founder and Publisher of Naturopathic Doctor News & Review (ndnr.com) and NaturalPath (thenatpath.com), has spent the last decade as a natural medicine advocate and marketing whiz. She has galvanized and supported the naturopathic community, bringing a higher quality of healthcare to millions of North Americans through her publications. A self-proclaimed health-food junkie and mother of two; she loves all things nature, is obsessed with organic gardening, growing fruit trees (not easy in Phoenix), laughing until she snorts, and homeschooling. She is a little bit crunchy and yes, that is her real name.