Experts Highlight the Three Pillars of Mental Health

(Newswire.net — December 2, 2022) Orlando, FL — Experts have been increasingly reminding the public to maintain mental health, especially in these times of global health crisis. 

A study was carried out and published in the Frontiers in Psychology.

In this research, it has been found that regular exercise, good quality sleep, and increased consumption of raw fruits and vegetables predict better mental health in young adults.

The investigators surveyed over 1100 young adults from the United States and New Zealand about their diet, sleep, physical activity, and mental health. 

It was spearheaded by author Shay-Ruby Wickham, who completed the study as part of her Master of Science.

“This is surprising because sleep recommendations predominantly focus on quantity rather than quality. While we did see that both too little sleep — less than eight hours — and too much sleep — more than 12 hours — were associated with higher depressive symptoms and lower well-being, sleep quality significantly outranked sleep quantity in predicting mental health and well-being,” Ms. Wickham said.

Researchers found the lowest depressive symptoms in young adults who slept 9.7 hours every night. In those who slept 8 hours every night, the feelings of well-being were the highest. 

“Sleep, physical activity, and a healthy diet can be thought of as three pillars of health, which could contribute to promoting optimal well-being among young adults, a population where the prevalence of mental disorders is high and well-being is suboptimal,” Ms. Wickham says.

It is worth noting that a majority of prior research looked into health behaviors in isolation from each other. This study did not control activity, sleep, or diet to test mental health changes. It suggests that a ‘whole health’ intervention prioritizing sleep, exercise, and fruit and vegetable intake together, could be the next logical step in this research.

More studies are still being carried out to look into the remedies helpful in protecting mental health. These include nutrients like B vitamins that are found particularly beneficial for brain health. 

In some studies, researchers found a link between depression and a lack of vitamins. Researchers say that a diet loaded with B vitamins can help boost mental health. Deficiencies in B vitamins have even been found to negatively affect memory function. They may even be found to contribute to the complexity of depressive symptoms.

Research has further shown that the intake of folic acid combined with antidepressants can boost antidepressant benefits. 

To benefit from the healing goodness of these nutrients, it is wise to take into account the use of formulas like Divine Bounty B Vitamin Complex.

It contains Choline, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Thiamin, and vitamin B6. www.amazon.com/dp/B07414752B).