Our reporter Zhang Jian
Not long ago, the University of Otago in New Zealand published a study on more than 1 100 18~25-year-old young people in the journal Frontier of Psychology, and found that good sleep, persistent exercise and eating more fruits and vegetables are very important for young people's mental health and happiness. Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association by McGill University in Canada found that "social support" is very important for young people to have a good attitude: those who feel a high level of social support around 19 years old, that is, those who have the care and help of family and friends, are unlikely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety after 1 year; People with high social support have a 47% reduction in overall depression and a 22% reduction in anxiety. People who think they have a rich social support system are 40% less likely to have suicidal thoughts.
Hao Bin said that people often think it is necessary to do something special to maintain mental health. These two studies show that in fact, as long as the life is healthy and the interpersonal relationship is harmonious, the mentality can basically be maintained well. For young people, no matter how busy they are on weekdays, they should lay a good foundation for maintaining mental health: sleep, exercise, diet and social support;
Sleep quality is more important than sleep time. The above study found that the strongest predictor of young people's mental health and happiness is the quality of sleep, which is within 8~ 12 hours every night. The better the quality of sleep, the less depression and the higher the happiness. Hao Bin said that in the past, it was thought that enough sleep time was enough, but studies reminded that it was more important to sleep well, which was manifested in being able to fall asleep quickly, not being easily woken up, rarely getting up at night, rarely staying in bed and not feeling sleepy during the day. Nowadays, young people often stay up late, make up sleep during the day and weekends, and the quality of sleep is even lower. It is recommended to pay attention to sleep and keep regular work and rest.
Walk more. Hao Bin said that exercise promotes the release of endorphins, which are the material basis for us to feel happy and calm. A high level of release helps to regulate emotions and enhance happiness. Many studies have shown that regular moderate-intensity physical exercise can even cure diseases and relieve depression and anxiety. But nowadays, many young people are always on the way to work, and spend the rest of their time sitting at work or lying in bed at home, which is very unhealthy and difficult to cheer up. It is suggested that "daily exercise" should be listed as "must-do" to bring a positive attitude to an active body.
Eat more fruits and vegetables. It is found that people who eat 4.8 servings (1 serving, about 150g) of fruits and vegetables every day have the highest happiness. People who eat less than 2 or more than 8 servings a day have lower happiness. Hao Bin said that eating well is one of the foundations of a good attitude. Diet can affect the intestinal flora, which has been proved many times to affect the secretion of neurotransmitters, thus regulating the spirit and mood. Eating more fruits and vegetables, diversified diet and regular meals can reduce the risk of depression and improve your mood. It is suggested that young people add fruits and vegetables to their diet. If possible, they should cook at home, order less takeout and eat less food with high oil and sugar.
There's someone to lean on. Social support refers to the spiritual or material support given by all sectors of society, including family, friends and teachers. Hao Bin said that when you need help, feeling someone you can rely on can greatly prevent psychological problems. No matter how powerful a person is, it is impossible to live independently. It is necessary to establish an interdependent relationship with people around him, especially spiritual dependence. It is understandable for young people to focus on their career, but they should also pay attention to establishing and maintaining necessary interpersonal relationships. This is not as complicated as expected, and the main points are as follows: 1. Really care about the people you care about, listen more, understand more and control less; 2. Consciously observe your emotions, learn to control them, and reduce impulses and contradictions; 3. Learning some interpersonal skills in communication and knowing how to say the right words at the right time is also a respect for others.