Aerobic Exercise and Mindful Breathing for Adults With Major Depressive Disorder in Saudi Arabia
Tests exercise and mindful breathing for depression symptoms and quality of life in adults.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: The Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Mindful Breathing on Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder in Saudi Arabia
Key facts
- Where
- Al Kharj and Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaSee the 2 sites
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 60 years old?
Source: NCT07625163, who can take part
Where in Saudi Arabia
- Erada Hospital and Mental Health in Al KharjAl Kharj, Saudi ArabiaNo longer taking part
- Erada complex and Mental Health in RiyadhRiyadh, Saudi ArabiaNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University of Pretoria
- Trial code
- NCT07625163
- Record updated
- 4 June 2026
- Original description
The goal of this Randomized Clinical Trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic exercise (AE) and mindful breathing (MB) on depressive symptom severity and quality of life (QoL), in adults with MDD. The main question is: Does aerobic exercise and mindful breathing delivery reduce depressive symptom severity and improve quality of life more effectively than standard psychiatric care? The aims to answer are:Read full original descriptionShow less
The Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Mindful Breathing on Symptom Severity and Quality of Life in Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder in Saudi Arabia: A Randomised Clinical Trial Protocol
The goal of this Randomized Clinical Trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic exercise (AE) and mindful breathing (MB) on depressive symptom severity and quality of life (QoL), in adults with MDD. The main question is: Does aerobic exercise and mindful breathing delivery reduce depressive symptom severity and improve quality of life more effectively than standard psychiatric care? The aims to answer are:
1. To determine the effect of aerobic exercise interventions on depressive symptoms of individuals diagnosed with MDD. 2. To determine the effect of aerobic exercise interventions on health-related quality of life among individuals diagnosed with MDD. 3. To determine the effect of mindful breathing exercises on depressive symptoms among individuals diagnosed with MDD. 4. To determine the effect of the mindful breathing exercise intervention on quality of life amongst individuals diagnosed with MDD.
Participants will be randomized into three groups:
1. 45 minutes of moderate AE (60-75% HRR); 2. 15 minutes of guided mindful breathing (6 breaths/minute); 3. a waitlist control receiving standard care. *Interventions will occur three times a week for 16 weeks.
Inclusion: Adults aged 18-60 years with a formal diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) based on DSM-5-TR or ICD-10 criteria; A baseline score of ≥ 17 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) is required to ensure a moderate-to-severe symptom profile.
Exclusion: Concurrent participation in other structured exercise/mindfulness trials; Patients with a history of psychosis or bipolar disorder; Patient with physical contraindications to exercise (e.g., unstable cardiovascular disease); Patients with high suicidal ideation.