Can walking and deep breathing lift depression? new study investigates
NCT ID NCT07625163
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at whether aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) and mindful breathing can help adults with major depressive disorder feel better and improve their quality of life. Participants are split into three groups: one does 45 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week, another does 15 minutes of guided slow breathing, and a third receives standard care. The goal is to see if these activities reduce depression symptoms more than usual treatment alone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- aerobic exercise and mindful breathing
- What this could lead to
- If effective, these simple, drug-free activities could offer a low-cost way to ease depression and improve daily life for people with MDD.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with 60 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The interventions require regular commitment, and not everyone may benefit.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jun 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Adults aged 18-60 years with a formal diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) based on DSM-5-TR or ICD-10 criteria. 2. A baseline score of ≥ 17 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) is required to ensure a moderate-to-severe symptom profile Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patients with high suicidal ideation 2. Patients with a history of psychosis or bipolar disorder 3. Patient with physical contraindications to exercise (e.g., unstable cardiovascular disease). 4. Concurrent participation in other structured exercise/mindfulness trials.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Erada Hospital and Mental Health in Al Kharj
Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
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Erada complex and Mental Health in Riyadh
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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