A new study has suggested that dancing is one of the best ways to treat depression.

Researchers in Australia aimed to determine the most beneficial treatment for managing depression by testing the efficacy of different forms of exercise, SSRIs, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and combinations of these treatments.

Through 218 different studies involving 14,170 participants, the researchers concluded that dancing is not only a more effective treatment than walking, jogging, yoga, tai chi, and strength training, but also more effective than taking SSRIs or having therapy when it comes to alleviating symptoms of depression.

Notably, different demographics exhibited varying responses to exercises and standard treatments. For example, women experienced greater symptom reductions with strength training and cycling, while men responded more positively to yoga, tai chi, and aerobic exercise paired with psychotherapy. Older participants benefited from yoga and aerobic exercise combined with psychotherapy, whereas younger participants showed more improvement with strength training. However, overall, dancing consistently proved to be the most effective form of exercise for individuals with depression.

According to PsychCentral, dancing can act as a mood-booster by increasing neurotransmitter activity in the brain, enhancing self-esteem, and improving mindfulness. Additionally, past studies have shown that dancing can help people stop ruminating and encourage focusing on the present moment. Dancing has long been considered a powerful form of somatic therapy – therapy which promotes reprogramming the mind through physical approaches – and now this new research affirms that you really can dance the blues away.