4 Mental Health Protocols

More than 90% of serotonin is produced in your gut. Not your brain.

Mood, motivation, emotional resilience… these are outputs of your biology. And biology responds to inputs you can control.

We reviewed the research on modifiable factors that affect mental health. Four mental health protocols stood out.

In this blog post:

• 4 physical factors that impact mental health
• what to do daily

4 physical factors that impact mental health

#1. Eat plenty of fiber

Fiber is essential for gut health, and your gut affects your mental health.

The gut microbiome produces neuroactive compounds, like serotonin and dopamine-related metabolites, which can influence mood and motivation. Your gut also talks to your brain via a direct pathway known as the vagus nerve.

When the microbiome is disrupted, the consequences extend beyond digestion. The composition and abundance of gut microbiota are associated with several mental health disorders, including:

• anxiety
• depression
• bipolar disorder

On the flip side, better gut health is linked to better mental health.

Fiber, fruits, veggies, and whole grains may increase beneficial gut microbiota and reduce harmful microbiota, supporting mental health.

#2. Avoid ultra-processed food

Higher ultra-processed food intake is associated with an increased risk of depression.

The good news: You can improve this.

Research shows people who reduced ultra-processed food intake by at least 3 servings a day had a lower risk of depression compared to those who did not reduce their intake.

#3. Maintain a regular sleep schedule

Sleep duration gets all the attention… but regularity may be just as important for mental health.

One study looked at sleep timing across 7 days and compared irregular sleepers to regular sleepers. Irregular sleepers were those whose sleep times shifted night to night, such as 10 pm to 6 am one night, then 2 am to 10 am the next.

Compared to irregular sleepers, regular sleepers had a 38% lower risk of depression and a 33% lower risk of anxiety.

Even if you get enough sleep, you still have a higher risk if that sleep is at irregular times.

There are a few possible reasons for this.

Irregular sleep can lead to:

• disrupted neurotransmitter mood-regulating systems
• compromised prefrontal cortex and emotion regulation
• systemic inflammation, which may be a pathway to mood disorders

#4. Move your body

A study of over 1.2 million adults found that individuals who exercised reported ~43% fewer days of poor mental health in the past month compared to those who did not exercise.

The largest associations were seen from:

• 45 min of exercise per session
• exercising 3-5x a week
• cycling, team sports, and aerobic and gym activities (although all types of exercise were beneficial)

The mechanism is multi-layered. Exercise improves hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, which lowers the stress hormone cortisol. Your body also produces endorphins after exercise, which improves mood and reduces pain.

Mental health protocols

• what you eat: Eat more fiber, fruits, veggies, whole grains, and polyphenols, all linked to better gut health and mental health. Minimize ultra-processed food.
• when you sleep: Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day (+/- 30 min). Stop eating 4+ hours before bed and wind down for 60 min before bed to fall asleep on time.
• how you move: Move daily, even just for 20 min. Aim for 3-5x workouts a week. Do what you enjoy… you're in luck if you like cycling.

Finally, mental health is not 1 thing. It is the sum of dozens of biological systems working together. There are lots of levers to pull.

Pick 1 lever to work on this week.