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MONDAY, Nov. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n
Less screen time and more sleep<\/a> are critical for preventing depression<\/a>, a new study suggests.<\/p>\n An international research team found that certain lifestyle choices may have a big impact on mood. That includes having a better-quality diet<\/a>, getting more physical activity and not smoking<\/a>.<\/p>\n Australian researchers analyzed UK Biobank data from 85,000 people to determine impact of lifestyle on depression<\/a>. They found physical activity, a healthy diet<\/a> and getting between seven and nine hours of sleep<\/a> nightly was associated with less frequency of depressed<\/a> mood. Screen time and tobacco smoking<\/a> were significantly associated with higher frequency of depression<\/a>.<\/p>\n “The research is the first assessment of such a broad range of lifestyle factors and its effect on depression<\/a> symptoms using the large UK Biobank lifestyle and mood dataset,” said lead co-author Jerome Sarris, a professor at Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute.<\/p>\n “While people usually know that physical activity is important for mood, we now have additional data showing that adequate sleep<\/a> and less screen time is also critical to reduce depression<\/a>,” he said in a university news release.<\/p>\n A person’s diet<\/a> pattern may be partly responsible for exacerbating a depressed<\/a> mood, according to the study. Surprisingly, more frequent alcohol<\/a> consumption was associated with reduced frequency of depression<\/a> in people with depression<\/a>, according to the study. One reason may be that people with depression<\/a> are self-medicating with alcohol<\/a> to manage their moods<\/a>.<\/p>\n “The results may inform public health policy by further highlighting the important relationship between people being encouraged and supported to engage in a range of health-promoting activities. In particular, maintaining optimal sleep<\/a> and lessening screen time [which is often an issue in youth], while having adequate physical activity and good dietary quality, may reduce the symptoms of depression,” Sarris said.<\/p>\n The study was published Nov. 11 in the BMC Medicine<\/em> journal.<\/p>\n Visit the Mayo Clinic’s website to learn more about depression.<\/a><\/p>\n SOURCE: Western Sydney University, NICM Health Research Institute, news release, Nov. 11, 2020<\/p>\n Cara Murez<\/p>\n ![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
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