How to be healthier – physically and mentally – in 2022: 7 tips you can use now, from eating more mushrooms to the best time to fall asleep at night, all backed by science
- Eating more plants – especially mushrooms – is a good start towards a new you, with studies showing this can reduce stress and alleviate depression
- The best time to fall asleep is between 10 and 11pm, one study says; daytime naps are good, too, but only if they’re under an hour
Working on your resolutions for the upcoming year? Add these seven to the list and you may reduce your risk of depression and heart disease, experience less stress, and even extend your life.
1. Eat mushrooms, lower your depression risk
Mushrooms are inexpensive and quick and easy to prepare, plus they have anticancer effects, but here’s another reason to enjoy them: they can lower your risk of developing depression, according to research by the Penn State College of Medicine in the United States.
This might be due to the presence of an antioxidant called ergothioneine, which protects against cell and tissue damage. High levels of this antioxidant, which also has anti-inflammatory effects, may lower the risk of oxidative stress in the body, which could also reduce symptoms of depression. Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of ergothioneine.
Results from the study were published in November 2021 in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
2. Take naps, but short ones
When nighttime sleep was taken into account, long naps were associated with a higher risk of death only in people who slept more than six hours per night.
It’s unclear why long naps have this effect. Other studies suggest that they’re linked with higher levels of inflammation, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Long naps may also leave you feeling tired, says Dr Tony Wong from The London Medical Clinic in Hong Kong.