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Cognitive behavioral therapy reduces sedentary time and increases sleep duration in adults with major depressive disorder

In a secondary analysis of the CBT+ trial, adults with major depressive disorder who underwent 8 weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) showed a significant average within-person decrease of 47.2 minutes/day of sedentary time (95% CI: -82.0 to -14.4; p = .007) and a significant increase of 36.5 minutes/day in sleep duration (time in bed; 95% CI: 4.2 to 68.8; p = .028). Total physical activity increased by a non-significant 12.3 minutes/day (95% CI: -34.5 to 59.1; p = .589).

Last updated: Aug 23, 2026•1 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score42/100
Human RCT★★☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Does cognitive behavioral therapy change the daily activity patterns of adults with depression? A secondary analysis of the CBT+ trial.

observational

Connolly ML, Sun S, Kelly SJE, Lansing JE, Murray TA, Thomas EBK, Wade NG, Meyer JD · Cognitive behaviour therapy (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: 8 weeks
Intervention: 8-week cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with two arms: ActiveCBT (30 min moderate-intensity exercise before each session) and CalmCBT (30 min quiet rest before each session)
Outcome: Accelerometer-derived sedentary time, sleep duration (time in bed), and total physical activity
Effect Size: N/A
Population: Adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=25 total, 13 in ActiveCBT, 12 in CalmCBT)

Result:

PubMed: 42611033DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2026.2720134

Mechanism Graph

CBT may improve mood and reduce depressive symptoms
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Improved mood may increase motivation for physical activity
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Increased activity and reduced sedentary behavior may improve sleep regulation
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Result: Reduced sedentary time and increased time in bed

Limitations

  • ⚠Small sample size (n=25) limits generalizability
  • ⚠Secondary analysis of a trial not designed to assess activity changes
  • ⚠No control group without CBT, so changes cannot be attributed solely to CBT
  • ⚠No follow-up to assess sustainability of changes

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CBT reduce sedentary time in depressed adults?▼

Yes, the study found a significant average decrease of 47.2 minutes/day of sedentary time after 8 weeks of CBT.

Does CBT increase sleep duration in depressed adults?▼

Yes, sleep duration (time in bed) increased significantly by 36.5 minutes/day on average.

What was the difference between ActiveCBT and CalmCBT?▼

ActiveCBT included 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise before each CBT session, while CalmCBT included 30 minutes of quiet rest. No significant between-group differences were found.

Are the activity changes from CBT sustainable?▼

The study did not include follow-up beyond the intervention period, so sustainability is unknown.

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References

  1. 1.Connolly ML, Sun S, Kelly SJE, Lansing JE, Murray TA, Thomas EBK, Wade NG, Meyer JD. "Does cognitive behavioral therapy change the daily activity patterns of adults with depression? A secondary analysis of the CBT+ trial.." Cognitive behaviour therapy, 2026. PMID: 42611033 DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2026.2720134
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.