Depression: Lifestyle vs. Genetics the results from a huge longitudinal study…
Friday, November 24, 2023. It’s productive days like this that have me appreciate where I am not the day after Thanksgiving…
Here’s what you need to know: Humans with more or less healthy lifestyles had a 57% lower depression risk compared to those with generally unhealthy lifestyles...
Sleep Hygiene is the most significant lifestyle factor that reduces depression risk the most, according to recent research.
Among 7 significant lifestyle factors, sleep hygiene was ranked #1, reducing depression risk by 22%.
It reduced the risk of developing a single episode of depression, as well as the chances of developing treatment-resistant depression.
Good sleep hygiene (22%)… was, by far, the most powerful factor.
The other lifestyle factors, with how much each reduced depression risk were:
Never smoking (20%).
Frequent social connection (18%),
Regular physical activity (14%),
Keeping sedentary behaviors below moderate to low levels (13%),
Keeping alcohol consumption below moderate to low levels (11%),
Maintaining a healthy diet (6%).
Taking all these factors together, people with generally healthy lifestyles had a 57% lower depression risk compared to those with generally unhealthy lifestyles.
How the study was conducted
The conclusions come from a large study of almost 300,000 humans who were carefully tracked for close to a decade.
Along with info about their lifestyles, their genetic risk for developing a depression disorder was also factored in.
This was based on the specific number of genetic markers correlated with depression.
The results showed that humans with the lowest genetic risk of depression were 25% less likely to develop the condition than those at the highest risk.
This shows the critical importance of a healthy lifestyle, said Professor Barbara Sahakian, study co-author:
“Although our DNA—the genetic hand we’ve been dealt—can increase our risk of depression, we’ve shown that a healthy lifestyle is potentially more important.
Some of these lifestyle factors are things we have a degree control over, so trying to find ways to improve them—making sure we have a good night’s sleep and getting out to see friends, for example—could make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Lifestyle and depression…
Next, the researchers wanted to get some insight as to how lifestyle and depression are linked.
So, they examined blood markers of the immune system and metabolic function.
These revealed that a poor lifestyle tended to lead to poor immune and metabolic function, which in turn increases depression risk.
Dr. Christelle Langley, study co-author, said:
“We’re used to thinking of a healthy lifestyle as being important to our physical health, but it’s just as important for our mental health.
It’s good for our brain health and cognition, but also indirectly by promoting a healthier immune system and better metabolism.”
Lifestyle affects depression risk from a young age, so education about the link should start from early on.
Professor Jianfeng Feng, study co-author, said:
“We know that depression can start as early as in adolescence or young adulthood, so educating young people on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and its impact on mental health should begin in schools.”
Lifestyle! Now we have a better idea of how lifestyle interplays with your genetics in managing depression.
Be well, stay kind, and Godspeed.
