New research suggests that following a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of depression.
This means doing things like drinking alcohol moderately, eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, getting good sleep, and having social connections.
It's also important to avoid smoking and sitting too much.
You can fight your depression
Depression affects many people worldwide, and it's caused by a mix of biological and lifestyle factors.
To understand this better, scientists studied a large group of people and found that seven healthy lifestyle factors can lower the risk of depression.
These include getting enough sleep, being socially connected, not smoking, having a healthy diet, being physically active, and not sitting too much.
People who followed more of these healthy habits were less likely to develop depression.
Those with the healthiest lifestyles had a 57% lower risk compared to those with less healthy habits.
It's also about genetics
Genetics also play a role in depression, but having a healthy lifestyle had a more significant impact.
Even people with a high genetic risk for depression could reduce their risk with a healthy lifestyle.
Scientists also looked at brain scans and blood markers to understand why a healthy lifestyle helps.
They found that a healthy lifestyle is linked to a larger brain volume and better immune and metabolic functions, which can protect against depression.
Conclusion
So, living a healthy lifestyle, regardless of your genes, can greatly reduce the risk of depression and improve your overall well-being.
It's important to educate young people about these habits in schools to promote good mental health.
