Researchers have identified seven healthy lifestyle habits that may potentially assist in stopping depression. Amongst them, getting a superb night’s sleep has a big impact, as it might probably reduce the chance of depression by 22%.
Depression is a serious mood disorder that interrupts an individual’s day by day functioning, affecting their emotions and behaviors. Feeling sad, lack of interest in activities, fatigue, appetite changes, difficulty sleeping and thoughts of suicide are among the signs of depression.
It’s one of the common mental disorders that affects around 21 million adults within the U.S. every 12 months.
In the most recent study, published within the journal Nature Mental Health, researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University evaluated the impact of varied lifestyle aspects, genetics, brain structure and immune and metabolic systems on depression.
“Although our DNA – the genetic hand we have been dealt – can increase our risk of depression, we have shown that a healthy lifestyle is potentially more vital,” Professor Barbara Sahakian, from the Department of Psychiatry on the University of Cambridge, said in a news release.
“A few of these lifestyle aspects are things we have now a level of control over, so trying to search out ways to enhance them – ensuring we have now a superb night’s sleep and getting out to see friends, for instance – could make an actual difference to people’s lives,” the study lead writer added.
The research team analyzed data from around 290,000 people from the U.K. Biobank, a biomedical database for over nine years. Of them, 13,000 had depression.
Researchers then identified seven lifestyle habits that may reduce the chance of depression:
- Moderate alcohol consumption
- Healthy weight loss plan
- Regular physical activity
- Adequate sleep
- Never smoking
- Low-to-moderate sedentary behavior
- Having a frequent social connection
Having a healthy sleep for seven to nine hours can reduce the chance of depression by 22% and frequent social interaction reduces it by 18%. While sleep is crucial for stopping single depressive episodes and treatment-resistant depression, social connection works best against recurrent depressive disorder.
The habit of not smoking reduced depression risk by 20%, followed by regular physical activity (14%), low to moderate sedentary behavior (13%), limiting alcohol consumption to moderate levels( 11 %) and healthy weight loss plan (6%).
“Based on the variety of healthy lifestyle aspects a person adhered to, they were assigned to one in every of three groups: unfavorable, intermediate and favorable lifestyle. Individuals within the intermediate group were around 41% less more likely to develop depression in comparison with those within the unfavorable lifestyle, while those within the favorable lifestyle group were 57% less likely,” the researchers said.
In addition they examined how a healthy lifestyle reduces the chance of depression. Using MRI scans (magnetic resonance imaging), the team evaluated the brains of the participants and located more neural connections in individuals with healthy lifestyles. In addition they checked out the markers within the blood – C-reactive protein and triglycerides that indicated problems with the immune system or metabolism.
Researchers concluded that poor lifestyle impacts the immune system and metabolism, which in turn increases the chance of depression.
“We’re used to considering of a healthy lifestyle as being vital to our physical health, however it’s just as vital for our mental health. It’s good for our brain health and cognition, but in addition not directly by promoting a healthier immune system and higher metabolism,” said Dr. Christelle Langley, a co-author of the study.
Published by Medicaldaily.com