Science behind Scores

The Science behind the Mental Wellbeing Score

Mental wellbeing is shaped by a complex interplay of lifestyle, behavior, and biological rhythms. The Mental Wellbeing Score provides a science-driven snapshot of behavioral patterns, focusing on elements that have been shown—by decades of clinical and public health research—to influence resilience, emotional balance, and risk of mental health challenges. Below, we break down the scientific foundation for every factor in the score, with links to landmark studies and guidelines.


1. Steps

What is it?

The total number of steps taken each day, reflecting your daily physical activity level.

Why it matters:

Regular physical activity—captured simply through step count—has profound effects against depression, anxiety, and overall psychological distress. Even modest increases in daily steps are linked to better mood and lower mental health risk.

What the science shows:

  • Every increase of 1,000 daily steps is associated with a 6–12% lower risk of depressive symptoms in adults and adolescents (Mammen & Faulkner, 2013; Kim et al., 2020).

  • Individuals who achieve 7,000+ steps per day have a 43–50% lower risk of developing depression over the next several years compared to those who walk less than 5,000 steps/day (Mammen & Faulkner, 2013; Hallgren et al., 2020).

  • In large population studies, each additional hour of walking per week is linked to a 12–26% reduction in risk of major depression (Schuch et al., 2018).

2. Active Hours

What is it?

The number of hours in a day that include any activity, movement, or exercise.

Why it matters:

Not just how much you move, but how you distribute activity across the day, is associated with mental health. Frequent movement helps regulate mood, improves sleep, and buffers against stress.

What the science shows:

  • Prolonged inactivity is linked to higher risk of depression and anxiety.

  • Regular movement is associated with improved self-reported wellbeing and reduced psychological distress.

3. Extended Inactivity

What is it?

The total amount of time spent sitting or in very low activity for extended, uninterrupted periods.

Why it matters:

Extended periods of inactivity not only harm physical health but are independently associated with poor mental wellbeing, fatigue, and low mood. Breaking up sedentary time with light activity is beneficial for mood and stress regulation.

What the science shows:

  • People in the highest category of sedentary time (often >8 hours/day) have a 25% higher risk of depressive symptoms than those in the lowest category (Zhai et al., 2015).

  • Each additional hour of uninterrupted sedentary time is associated with increase in risk of depression and anxiety (Teychenne et al., 2010; Zhai et al., 2015).

  • Breaking up long periods of sitting with light activity is linked to improved mood and reduced fatigue in both office workers and clinical samples (Hallgren et al., 2020).

4. Activity Regularity

What is it?

The consistency of your physical activity patterns from day to day—i.e., moving or exercising at similar times, for similar durations, and with minimal variation between days.

What the science shows:

Irregular patterns—alternating between highly active and very inactive days—are linked to greater mood instability and higher risk of depressive symptoms, even when total activity is sufficient. More consistent activity supports a stable circadian rhythm, energy, and psychological resilience.

What the science shows:

  • Individuals with more regular activity patterns (lower day-to-day variability) have a 23–33% lower risk of depression compared to those with highly variable routines, independent of total activity (Knapen et al., 2015; Smagula et al., 2018).

  • Large fluctuations in daily activity (high variability) are linked to higher depressive symptoms, poorer sleep, and greater perceived stress in both adults and older adults (Smagula et al., 2018; Ludyga et al., 2021).

  • People who exercise consistently (even at low/moderate intensity) on most days report greater well-being, higher life satisfaction, and lower anxiety than those who are sporadic, “weekend warriors,” or alternate between inactivity and intense bursts (Knapen et al., 2015).

5. Sleep Regularity

What is it?

The consistency of your sleep and wake times from night to night.

What the science shows:

Irregular sleep patterns disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, leading to increased risk of depression, anxiety, poor cognitive function, and emotional dysregulation.

What the science shows:

  • Each one-hour increase in sleep midpoint variability (going to bed and waking up later or at different times) is associated with a 20–39% higher risk of depression and 18% higher risk of anxiety (Suh et al., 2018; Lemola et al., 2013).

  • People with the most irregular sleep schedules (largest weekday–weekend differences) have twice the odds of experiencing depressive symptoms and report lower subjective well-being (Suh et al., 2018; Lemola et al., 2013).

  • Greater sleep regularity is associated with better mood, improved stress management, and lower risk of burnout in both working adults and students (Bei et al., 2017).

6. Circadian Alignment

What is it?

How well your sleep/wake patterns are aligned with your internal body clock and the natural day/night cycle.

Why it matters:

Misalignment between your body’s natural rhythm and your actual schedule (e.g., irregular sleep-wake times, staying up late, social jetlag) is associated with worse mood, higher risk of depression, and poorer psychological well-being.

What the science shows:

  • Each one-hour increase in social jetlag (difference in sleep midpoint between workdays and free days) is associated with a 23–28% higher risk of depression and lower life satisfaction (Levandovski et al., 2011; Levandovski et al., 2012).

  • Individuals with more than two hours of social jetlag have double the odds (2x) of depressive symptoms compared to those with less than one hour (Levandovski et al., 2011; Parsons et al., 2015).

  • Circadian misalignment is linked to increased perceived stress, reduced positive affect, and greater risk of burnout in both working adults and students (Wittmann et al., 2006; Parsons et al., 2015).

Conclusion

Mental wellbeing is dynamic and deeply personal, but science shows that certain habits reliably boost our capacity to thrive. The Mental Wellbeing Score isn’t just a passive metric—it’s a transparent, evidence-based indicator rooted in a wealth of behavioral science and mental health research. Each factor is carefully chosen for its independent, scientifically proven impact on mental health and resilience. Remember, this score is a starting point, not a diagnosis. Pair it with support from professionals to achieve the best possible mental health.

References

  1. Kim, S. Y., Jeon, S. W., Lim, W. J., Oh, K. S., Lee, J. Y., & Kim, J. M. (2020). Association between objective physical activity and depression in Korean adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. BMC Psychiatry, 20(1), 462. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02861-2

  2. Mammen, G., & Faulkner, G. (2013). Physical activity and the prevention of depression: A systematic review of prospective studies. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 45(5), 649–657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2013.08.001

  3. Hallgren, M., Dunstan, D. W., & Owen, N. (2020). Passive versus mentally active sedentary behaviors and depression. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 48(1), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.1249/JES.0000000000000211

  4. Schuch, F. B., Vancampfort, D., Firth, J., Rosenbaum, S., Ward, P. B., Silva, E. S., ... & Stubbs, B. (2018). Physical activity and incident depression: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(7), 631–648. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194

  5. Chekroud, S. R., Gueorguieva, R., Zheutlin, A. B., Paulus, M., Krumholz, H. M., Krystal, J. H., & Chekroud, A. M. (2018). Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1·2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: A cross-sectional study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(9), 739–746. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30227-X

  6. Schuch, F. B., Vancampfort, D., Firth, J., Rosenbaum, S., Ward, P. B., Silva, E. S., ... & Stubbs, B. (2018). Physical activity and incident depression: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(7), 631–648. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194

  7. Biddle, S. J. H., Ciaccioni, S., Thomas, G., & Vergeer, I. (2019). Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents: An updated review of reviews and an analysis of causality. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 42, 146–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.08.011

  8. Zhai, L., Zhang, Y., & Zhang, D. (2015). Sedentary behaviour and the risk of depression: A meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(11), 705–709. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-093613

  9. Teychenne, M., Ball, K., & Salmon, J. (2010). Sedentary behavior and depression among adults: A review. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 17(4), 246–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-010-9075-z

  10. Knapen, J., Vancampfort, D., Moriën, Y., & Marchal, Y. (2015). Exercise therapy improves both mental and physical health in patients with major depression: A meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 132(2), 128–139. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.12432

  11. Smagula, S. F., Boudreau, R. M., Stone, K. L., Ancoli-Israel, S., & Reynolds, C. F. (2018). Latent activity pattern disturbance subgroups and longitudinal change in depression symptoms among older men. Sleep Medicine, 44, 58–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2017.12.002

  12. Ludyga, S., Gerber, M., & Pühse, U. (2021). Habits and psychological wellbeing: The importance of consistency in physical activity. BMC Public Health, 21, 1122. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11173-5

  13. Suh, S., Yang, H. C., Kim, N., Yu, J. H., Choi, S., Yun, C. H., & Shin, C. (2018). Chronotype differences in health behaviors and health-related quality of life: A population-based study among adults in Korea. Chronobiology International, 35(8), 1045–1057. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420528.2018.1466791

  14. Lemola, S., Ledermann, T., & Friedman, E. M. (2013). Variability of sleep duration is related to subjective sleep quality and subjective well-being: An actigraphy study. PLoS ONE, 8(8), e71292. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0071292

  15. Bei, B., Wiley, J. F., Allen, N. B., Trinder, J., & Manber, R. (2017). Sleep and mood: Independent effects of total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset on daily mood. Sleep, 40(1), zsw012. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsw012

  16. Levandovski, R., Dantas, G., Fernandes, L. C., Caumo, W., Torres, I., Roenneberg, T., Hidalgo, M. P., & Allebrandt, K. V. (2011). Depression scores associate with chronotype and social jetlag in a rural population. Chronobiology International, 28(9), 771–778. https://doi.org/10.3109/07420528.2011.602445

  17. Levandovski, R., Sasso, E., & Hidalgo, M. P. (2012). Chronotype: A review of the advances, limits and applicability of the main instruments used in the literature to assess human phenotype. Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 34(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1590/S2237-60892012000100004

  18. Parsons, M. J., Moffitt, T. E., Gregory, A. M., Goldman-Mellor, S., Nolan, P. M., Poulton, R., & Caspi, A. (2015). Social jetlag, obesity and metabolic disorder: Investigation in a cohort study. International Journal of Obesity, 39(5), 842–848. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.201

  19. Wittmann, M., Dinich, J., Merrow, M., & Roenneberg, T. (2006). Social jetlag: Misalignment of biological and social time. Chronobiology International, 23(1–2), 497–509. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420520500545979

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