Suicide rates reached their highest levels in decades in 2022, and rates of anxiety, depression, and addiction are on the rise.
Despite having the world's most expensive healthcare system, the United States struggles with a significant disparity between health spending and the quality of life of its population. This discrepancy is evident in the country's lower life expectancy than other developed nations.
While multiple factors contribute to this gap, poor lifestyle choices play a big role. The demand for mental health services, especially among teenagers and young adults, underscores the urgency of addressing lifestyle factors that can adversely affect mental health. That’s where the concept of “lifestyle psychiatry” comes in.
Research has established correlations between lifestyle factors and the prevalence, onset, and perpetuation of psychiatric symptoms and disorders.
“Like other medical specialties, psychiatry is taking a health promotion and disease prevention approach with lifestyle psychiatry,” said Matthew Macaluso, D.O., Bee McWane Reid Professor and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology.
“This lifestyle psychiatry approach seeks to understand and modify individual patient behaviors, habits, and activities to foster brain and mental health. To name a few, evidence suggests natural light exposure, exercise, and diet can impact brain health. As psychiatrists, we are obligated to promote healthy lifestyle choices to our patients.”
Lifestyle psychiatry aims to promote well-being, prevent and manage psychiatric disorders, and optimize brain health through lifestyle interventions. Studies within this domain cover a range of topics, such as analyzing how lifestyle behaviors affect psychiatric symptoms among the general population, investigating the impact of naturalistic lifestyle behaviors on vulnerable groups, exploring how lifestyle interventions affect the severity of symptoms in individuals with psychiatric disorders, examining the neuroscientific reactions of the brain to lifestyle behaviors, and devising methods to promote changes in lifestyle behaviors.
“Intuitively, we know our lifestyle choices affect our physical health,” said Kristine Lokken, Ph.D. associate professor and chief psychologist in the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology. “Now we know this same concept applies to mental health. The future of mental health care includes lifestyle therapeutics, where the role of diet, exercise, sleep, and other maladaptive health behaviors are considered and addressed as a part of a comprehensive, tailored intervention.”
Psychiatrists and psychologists are crucial in considering medical, psychosocial, and lifestyle factors in psychiatric care. They can integrate expertise in psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, and lifestyle interventions to develop effective treatment plans. These lifestyle interventions can complement pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches.
Evidence supports the therapeutic benefits of lifestyle interventions across various psychiatric conditions. Here are a few examples of the types of behaviors lifestyle psychiatry seeks to address.
Exercise
Among adults, prolonged sedentary behavior has been correlated with an elevated risk of experiencing depressive symptoms, contemplating suicide, cognitive impairment, and psychosis. Conversely, engaging in regular physical activity has demonstrated efficacy in alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhancing cognitive function, and promoting optimal brain health. Thus, prioritizing physical activity over sedentary behavior presents a proactive approach to improving overall mental well-being and cognitive functioning.
Diet
Dietary modifications, particularly adopting patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil, show promise in reducing depression risk. This diet supplies nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins B and D, which are crucial for brain health, neurotransmitter function, and inflammation regulation and is implicated in depression. Its emphasis on whole, unprocessed foods also helps stabilize blood sugar levels, contributing to mood stability and energy regulation. Furthermore, the Mediterranean diet supports a healthy gut microbiome through fiber-rich and probiotic foods, potentially influencing mood via the gut-brain axis. Overall, embracing a Mediterranean-style diet offers a holistic approach to mental well-being by providing essential nutrients and nurturing a balanced relationship with food.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness practices profoundly affect mental health by fostering present-moment awareness and acceptance of one's thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. Through mindfulness meditation, individuals learn to observe their experiences without becoming overly attached or reactive, which can help break the cycle of rumination and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Individuals develop greater emotional regulation skills by cultivating mindfulness, enabling them to respond to challenging situations with clarity and composure rather than impulsivity or avoidance. This heightened self-awareness allows individuals to recognize and challenge negative thought patterns, promoting a positive outlook on life and enhancing overall psychological well-being.
Moreover, research suggests that mindfulness practices can induce neuroplasticity, leading to structural changes in the brain associated with improved attention, emotional regulation, and resilience to stress. Overall, integrating mindfulness into daily life can be a powerful tool for promoting mental health, enhancing coping mechanisms, and fostering greater resilience against psychological challenges.
Healthy sleep habits
Healthy sleep plays a fundamental role in maintaining optimal mental health. Adequate sleep is essential for cognitive function, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. During sleep, the brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and clears out toxins accumulated during waking hours. Chronic sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality can impair cognitive function, exacerbate mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, and increase the risk of developing psychiatric conditions. Conversely, prioritizing restorative sleep through consistent sleep schedules, creating a conducive sleep environment, and practicing relaxation techniques can significantly improve mental health outcomes and enhance resilience against stressors.
Social connections
Strong social support networks have been linked to resilience against mental illness and faster recovery from psychiatric disorders. Engaging in meaningful social activities and maintaining close relationships can provide emotional support and reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Incorporating lifestyle psychiatry into clinical practice requires individualized assessment and tailored interventions based on patient's needs and preferences. Psychiatrists can educate patients about the impact of lifestyle choices on their mental health and encourage positive behavior changes. Psychologists are uniquely poised to provide interventions specifically geared towards behavioral change. Depending on the clinical presentation, lifestyle interventions can serve as primary prevention, first-line therapy, adjunctive treatment, and relapse prevention strategies.
By integrating lifestyle interventions into clinical practice and advocating for healthy communities, workplaces, and individuals, we can enhance mental health outcomes and improve overall quality of life.