The secret to handling stress better may start at breakfast
Your daily routine could have a bigger impact on your ability to handle stress than you realize. A Binghamton University study of approximately 400 college students found that eating breakfast regularly, exercising, sleeping well, and taking fish oil were associated with greater psychological flexibility, which helps people adapt to stressful situations. Poor sleep and unhealthy eating habits, meanwhile, were linked…
Key points
- Binghamton University research links breakfast, exercise and sleep to psychological flexibility.
- About 400 college students answered anonymous surveys on diet, sleep and exercise.
- The study shows associations, not proof that habits directly improve flexibility.
A new study from Binghamton University suggests that everyday habits such as eating a nutritious breakfast, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep may be tied to how well people handle stress. The research links these routines to a mental skill called psychological flexibility, the ability to adjust thoughts, emotions and actions as circumstances change.
The study was led by Lina Begdache, an associate professor of health and wellness studies at Binghamton University, with Jason Cherry, a former assistant professor of physical therapy, and former student Alexander J. Talkachov. It was published in the Journal of American College Health.
What the survey found
The team collected anonymous survey responses from approximately 400 college students, asking about diet, sleep, exercise and other lifestyle factors. Students who reported healthier habits, including regular physical activity and consistent breakfast consumption, tended to show greater psychological flexibility and resilience.
Students who reported less healthy behaviors, including frequent fast food consumption and insufficient sleep, tended to show greater psychological rigidity, meaning more difficulty adjusting their thoughts and behaviors when circumstances changed. Because the research relied on surveys, the results show associations rather than proving that the habits directly improve psychological flexibility.
When we're under stress, we feel like we fuse with the stress. We live the stress.
— Lina Begdache
How flexibility helps
Begdache said psychological flexibility lets people step back from stress instead of becoming absorbed by it. She described someone who misses a flight and stays calm rather than panicking, adding that such people may still feel stressed but manage it better.
She said diet and lifestyle may support this adaptability, building on her earlier work that linked nutritious diets to greater resilience and poorer eating habits to reduced resilience. The study suggests diet and lifestyle help build psychological flexibility, which in turn makes a person resilient.
