Sports, sleep, and nutrition can prolong the lives of people with mental disorders

A team of 30 experts from 19 countries is confident that there is a way out, and it starts with simple things — exercise, proper nutrition, quality sleep and quitting smoking. But for this to work, you don’t need one-time doctor’s advice, but systemic support. “This is not a bonus to treatment, but the foundation of health,” says study leader Dr. Scott Tisdale from the University of New South Wales.

The new report offers a roadmap of changes. We are talking about bringing physical activity and nutrition specialists to psychiatric services, so that staff are trained to take care of the patient’s body and mind at the same time, and the approach to treatment becomes more holistic.

The researchers analyzed 89 programs that have already been used in different countries, and identified eight key recommendations and 19 specific steps. The tips have been tested by people with personal experience of mental disorders and experts from low-income countries to ensure that they can be implemented in both poor and prosperous regions.

In Australia, the changes have already begun: starting in 2020, a healthy lifestyle has been included in the national clinical guidelines for the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder. But the implementation is slow, hampered by a lack of specialists and money.

Professor Simon Rosenbaum stresses: “It doesn’t matter if you work in a refugee camp in Bangladesh or in a hospital in Sydney, the principles remain the same: a safe environment, respect for cultural differences, and working with patients and their families.”