Everyday Habits to Improve Mental Health: How Digital Tools Make a Difference

Originally published on LinkedIn on June 6, 2024

Have you ever noticed just how strong the effect of a regular sleep schedule is on your mood and executive functioning? Have you ever successfully managed to change some of your food habits and seen an impact on your mental health? How about your digital diet – have you tried to track and reduce the number of times you unlock your phone each day? (Hint: for Android users, this data can be found in Digital Wellbeing and Parental controls, while for iPhone fans it is under Settings / Screen Time)

In psychiatry, Lifestyle Psychiatry means using healthy habits like good food, exercise, and sleep along with regular treatments to improve mental health. This term was coined by Dr. Dilip Jeste, the former president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), but the roots of this approach go well beyond modern psychiatry.

The concept of lifestyle psychiatry has gained support from mental health professionals, including Dr. Vivian Pender, the current president of the APA. Dr. Pender urges colleagues to talk more about patients’ daily routines, get generally interested in patient’s lived experiences, everyday challenges, and work and rest habits.

What is Lifestyle Psychiatry?

Lifestyle psychiatry focuses on the use of lifestyle modifications to prevent and treat mental health disorders. Daily habits and routines have a strong impact on mental well-being. Key STEPs of the lifestyle psychiatry include:

1. Food: The food we eat plays a critical role in brain health. Diets high in processed foods and sugars can negatively affect mood and ability to think and concentrate. Food and health literacy are a good place to start – not everybody is certain to look for sodium on the package label if they were told to reduce salt intake.

2. Physical activity: Regular exercise is a cornerstone of lifestyle psychiatry. Physical activity increases the production of endorphins, which are natural mood lifters.  The toughest part is to make that first step – get up from the sofa and leave the house.

3. Sleep schedule: Quality sleep is essential for mental health. Sleep disturbances are linked to various psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. Mental well-being is linked to a regular bedtime routine, and a sufficient amount of uninterrupted sleep, which can vary from 7 to 9 hours for an adult.

4. Social connections: Social networks and meaningful relationships provide emotional support, reduce isolation, and contribute to a sense of belonging. More on the vital role of social networks from our renowned colleague, Glenna Crooks in The Networks Sage. 

5. Digital health: Look at your phone – how many health and wellness apps can you count? (Statista’s view here). Digital health tools monitor health behaviors, provide therapeutic interventions, and offer support.

Now you see that by addressing these lifestyle factors, mental health professionals provide a more person-focused approach to treatment. Let’s dwell a bit more on the connected topic of Digital Health in the next section, learning about the up-and-coming digital therapeutics.

Digital Therapeutics in Mental Health

Digital therapeutics have emerged as a promising tool in the field of mental health. These evidence-based interventions, delivered through digital platforms, have the potential to revolutionize the way we approach mental health care. Some recent examples of digital therapeutics in mental health include:

• Otsuka’s Rejoyn: A prescription digital therapeutic for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
• Pear Therapeutics‘ reSET and reSET-O: Prescription digital therapeutics for the treatment of substance use disorder and opioid use disorder.
• Akili Interactive’s EndeavorRx: A prescription video game designed to improve attention function in children with ADHD.
• Happify Health’s Ensemble: A digital therapeutic platform that combines evidence-based interventions with AI-powered coaching to support mental health and well-being.

At Bazis Americas, we find mental health research to be most challenging and rewarding. Based on our recent studies, we have come across different views on the role of digital therapeutics in mental health:

• Those who support and find high potential in digital therapeutics appreciate their practicality, ease of access (it’s on your phone!), and potential to complement traditional treatments.
• Some people are concerned about how effective digital therapeutics are in the long term. They worry about the lack of a clear distinction between general wellness apps and digital therapeutics.

These varying perspectives highlight the need for ongoing research and open dialogue to address the challenges and maximize the potential of digital therapeutics in mental health care.

The Future of Mental Health Care

As we look to the future of mental health care, the integration of lifestyle psychiatry and digital therapeutics holds great promise. A holistic approach that addresses both the psychological and lifestyle factors contributing to mental health, provides more comprehensive, more personalized care to patients, using the cutting-edge tools available on mobile devices.

At Bazis Americas, we work to improve mental health research and join the conversation on new treatment methods. By sharing what we learn from our studies and showcasing different views from the mental health community, we hope to create a more inclusive and informed discussion about the future of mental health care.