These 7 Habits Can Cut Depression Risk in Half

Depression is a complex disease. Although brain chemicals play a role, there’s no simple explanation for what causes depression, and people suffering from the condition are not to blame for its onset. According to Find Your Words by Kaiser Permanente, “Depression is a real, common, and treatable medical illness. It’s a disease, not a character flaw or personal weakness.”

However, there may be things you can do to reduce your risk of developing the disease, NPR reports. A new study out of the University of Cambridge has found that people who maintained five (or more) out of seven healthy habits decreased their depression risk by a whopping 57%.

The study of nearly 300,000 people found that “people who maintain a broad range of healthy habits, from good sleep to physical activity to strong social connections, are significantly less likely to experience episodes of depression.”

“I think the biggest surprise is that if you have a favorable lifestyle, you can reduce the risk of your getting depression by 57%, which is really quite a massive amount,” says study author Barbara Sahakian, a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist at the University of Cambridge.

Researchers identified seven healthy habits that help reduce the risk of developing depression:

Sleep

At the top of the list was getting enough sleep. The study showed that sleeping an average of seven to nine hours per night reduced the risk of depression by about 22%. “A lot of us think of sleep as a kind of a passive process, but it’s an incredibly active process,” Sahakian says. Sleep boosts our physical, mental, and emotional health – keeping our immune system strong, helping us consolidate memories, and dreaming may even help us regulate our emotions.

Exercise

A host of research shows that exercise improves mood. An earlier study, based on data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveys, found that people who exercise regularly report fewer days of poor mental health.

A recent meta-analysis of data found that exercise was more effective than medications in reducing depression symptoms. Antidepressant medication tends to work faster in treating an episode of depression, says Douglas Noordsy, a psychiatrist with the Stanford Lifestyle Medicine Program, “but physical exercise has more durable effects than an antidepressant does,” he says.

Healthy nutrition

Sahakian recommends the Mediterranean diet or the MIND diet. Studies show that a diet rich in greens, vegetables, berries, whole grains, lean proteins (including beans) and healthy fats like nuts can lower the risk of disease.

Further, in a randomized controlled trial, college students who ate a Mediterranean diet improved their depression scores after three weeks, while those who ate lots of refined carbohydrates, ultra-processed foods, and sugary snacks and beverages had higher scores.

Limit alcohol and don’t smoke

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limited alcohol consumption for adults: one drink a day or less for women and two drinks a day or less for men. People who regularly drink more than this face a higher risk of depression, as alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that slows down brain activity and increases the risk of dependence.

As for smoking? There’s copious evidence that smoking is not good for us.

Limit sedentary activity – cut back on screen time

Humans are made to move. “Sedentary behavior is very bad,” says Sahakian. As we spend more time in front of screens for work, homework, and connecting on social media, “The rate of mental health problems is increasing in close correlation with the deterioration in lifestyle factors,” adds Noordsy.

Sitting for hours on end is not good for us, even if we exercise later. “We know that long periods of being sedentary are an independent risk factor for depression, independent from how much exercise you get,” Noordsy says. Working out for half and hour does not cancel out sitting most of the day in front of a screen, which can have a negative impact on your mental health.

There’s growing evidence that social media can exacerbate and even cause higher rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness among teens.

Develop friendships and social connections through hobbies

What’s the antidote? Connecting with others in real life. Doing things we enjoy doing in the company of others boosts our mood. A new study published in Nature Medicine surveyed people in 16 countries and found that people age 65+ who have hobbies report higher life satisfaction and less depression.

The takeaway?

While depression is a serious but treatable disease, and both medications and therapy help many feel better, it’s good to know we can cultivate habits to help keep mental health strong.

Read the full article here.

 

Aubrey, Allison. “These habits can cut the risk of depression in half, study finds.” NPR.org, 19 Sep 2023, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/09/19/1200223456/depression-anxiety-prevention-mental-health-healthy-habits.

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