Why Eating Breakfast Before 9 AM Could Help Beat Depression

Eating breakfast before 9 am might considerably lower your chance of experiencing depression , a study suggests.

Researchers discovered that males and females consuming their initial meal after 9 am exhibited a 28 percent higher likelihood of experiencing poor moods and mental health issues compared to individuals who had their first meal prior to 8 am.

The research discovered that entirely skipping breakfast also had a comparably detrimental effect on mental health.

Surveys indicate that nearly half of the population in the UK struggle to allocate time for a proper breakfast, and approximately one-third of those who manage to eat something end up consuming it on their commute or at their desks.

Physicians at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao Tong University in China examined the breakfast consumption patterns of nearly 24,000 adults across an 11-year period.

They recorded if the volunteers typically consumed breakfast in the morning along with the specific times.

The findings, documented in The Journal of Affective Disorders, indicated that individuals who ensured they had their breakfast were less prone to being diagnosed with depression compared to those who frequently skipped this meal entirely.

Early risers who dined before 8 am had a lower risk of developing mental health problems compared to individuals eating breakfast at 9 am or later.

It isn’t quite evident exactly why postponing breakfast could have such detrimental effects.

A hypothesis suggests that consuming food late in the day or skipping meals could indicate disrupted sleep patterns, a inactive lifestyle, or a lack of daily drive — which might all serve as possible indicators of declining mental well-being.

Statistics from the Office for National Statistics indicate that one out of every six adults in the UK frequently encounter moderate to severe signs of depression.