In one of our most recent blogs, we introduced you to Lifestyle Medicine and its core six pillars. In this blog, we will explore the impact that these pillars have on an individual’s mental health and wellness.
The pillars of lifestyle medicine are priority interventions for preventing and reversing chronic disease. They are equally effective for optimizing mental health.
Mental health encompasses emotional, social, and psychological well-being. It impacts how an individual thinks, feels, and behaves, as well as how they handle stress, social interactions, and everyday life choices.
Emotional wellness is a skill that allows people to successfully navigate stressors in life, adapt to change, and overcome difficult situations.
Humans can develop emotional wellness through a variety of means including:
What you eat impacts how you feel, both physically and mentally. Research comprehensively demonstrates that a healthy diet is associated with lower rates of depression, anxiety, and stress –. In contrast, an unhealthy diet is associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and bad mental well-being. A meta-analysis of studies shows that consuming ultra-processed food is associated with an increased risk of depression.
Have you ever heard of the gut-brain connection? Our mental health has a lot to do with the quality of our intestinal microbiome. Neurotransmitters are essential chemical messengers that allow neurons in the brain to communicate with each other and with cells throughout the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep, digestion, executive functions, and more. Nearly all (90-95 percent) of the neurotransmitter serotonin is produced in the gut. Studies show low levels of serotonin are associated with many mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, OCD, schizophrenia, and more.
Physical activity is a natural mood booster and a major modulator of physical and mental health. For children and adolescents, exercise and regular physical activity encourage healthy bone, muscular, and cognitive development. For adults, physical activity can help prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes and improve brain health. However, many people are not getting the exercise they need. The World Health Organization says 31 percent of adults and 80 percent of adolescents do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. A 2018 study by DeMello et al. demonstrates that time spent sitting or not moving is associated with mood disturbances.
Multiple studies show that physical exercise reduces anxiety, and depression, and improves mood. Noetel and colleagues conducted a recent meta-analysis of 218 studies with over 14,000 participants. They found that exercise including walking, yoga, jogging, and strength training is as effective at treating depression as psychotherapy and antidepressants. The more intense the exercise, the more prominent the benefit.
Sleep plays a major role in maintaining overall health. The body needs sleep to restore brain health and bodily functions. It also requires sleep to regulate mental and emotional well-being.
The CDC reports that one-third of adults in the United States are sleeping less than the recommended amount, and 20 percent of those adults live with a mental illness. A 2018 CDC study that included over 270-thousand adults shows that participants who averaged six hours of sleep or less per night were two-and-a-half times more likely to experience mental distress than those who slept six hours or more.
Similarly, data analyzed from the National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement including over 10-thousand adolescents aged 13 to 18 showed that suboptimal sleep patterns are associated with increased odds of mood, anxiety, substance use, behavioral disorders, and more. Contrastingly, a meta-analysis of 72 studies and over 8-thousand participants demonstrates that improving sleep quality reduces depression, anxiety, and stress.
Humans are social creatures that are wired for connection. Connection is an essential human need because it creates feelings of love, belonging, and community. Creating and maintaining bonds with others is essential to our mental and physical health. According to the CDC, individuals who prioritize strong social bonds are more likely to live longer and healthier lives.
Researcher Hinkin and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis that highlighted the ways that loneliness can predict and worsen social anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation and action. In 2017, Lamblin and others highlighted several studies that addressed the biological and psychological effects of a lack of social connection. Their findings included higher levels of depression and anxiety, higher rates of cognitive decline and dementia, increased rates of suicidal ideation, and brain activity that mirrors the experiences of physical pain.
Effective stress management is a critical part of maintaining mental and emotional well-being. Nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and social connection are stress management activities. Stress management also encompasses stress-reducing behaviors like setting boundaries, having balance in life, prioritizing effectively, relaxation, mindfulness, time in nature, and fun and leisure.
Studies show that stress management interventions are successful in reducing distress, anxiety, and depression in university students. Furthermore, a 2023 study demonstrated that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can reduce anxiety and depression. The practice of mindfulness can decrease stress, and increase self-compassion and psychological well-being.
According to the CDC, in 2020, 40.3 million people aged 12 or older in the United States reported having a substance use disorder in the past year. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, young adults ages 18-25 have the highest rates of drug use across the board. Drug use among adults ages 26-49 is increasing.
The CDC reports that excessive alcohol use contributes to anxiety and depression. Another study from 2020 shows that high-potency cannabis use is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing an anxiety disorder.
Nicotine can have negative impacts on mental health as well. A 2021 study by Lien, Bolstad, & Bramness demonstrates that smoking tobacco is associated with higher rates of mental distress. In addition, a 2020 study cites e-cigarette use as being associated with internalizing problems, depression, suicidality, disordered eating, conduct disorder, impulsivity, perceived stress, and more in adolescents.
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