If you knew you could do just five simple things a day to stay sane — would you?

Scientists in the UK have found that simple social and personal activities like gardening or fixing things around the house can improve mental health just as much as eating a healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables can improve your physical wellbeing.

The Mental Capital and Wellbeing report was compiled by Foresight, a government think-tank consisting of more than 400 scientists. The report proposes a 'five a day' campaign which is modelled on the nutrition initiative, to encourage behaviour that will make people feel better about themselves and ward off insanity or mental illness later in life.

Felicia Huppert, Professor of Psychology at the University of Cambridge, who was involved in the project, said, “We found there are five categories of things that can make a profound difference to people’s wellbeing. Each has evidence behind it.” Actions like trying to connect and interact with others, staying active, taking notice of your surroundings, continuing learning and eduation and giving to your neighbours and communities, are so simple that advocates of this model believe that everyone should aim to do them daily — just like we are all encouraged to do with eating five portions of fruit and vegetables.

Five steps to happiness...

• Connect
  Developing relationships with family, friends, colleagues and neighbours will enrich your life and bring you support
• Be active
  Sports, hobbies such as gardening or dancing, or just a daily stroll will make you feel good and maintain mobility and fitness
• Be curious
  Noting the beauty of everyday moments as well as the unusual and reflecting on them helps you to appreciate what matters to you
• Learn
  Fixing a bike, learning an instrument, cooking – the challenge and satisfaction brings fun and confidence
• Give
  Helping friends and strangers links your happiness to a wider community and is very rewarding

While Foresight is headed by the UK Government’s chief scientist, Professor John Beddington, critics of the study say that prescribing such simple measures for something as serious as mental health is belittling and that a more personalised attitude needs to be taken for each individual patient. Claire Fox, director of the Institute of Ideas says, "The implication is that if you don't do these banal things, you could get seriously mentally ill, and that trivialises serious mental illness. What is happiness, anyway? It's so subjective."

The study also found among other issues, that a strong link exists between mental illness and debt. 50 per cent of British people who are in debt have a mental disorder, compared with just 16 per cent of the general population.

Your say: Do you think that sticking to the 'five a day' plan is a good idea for metal wellness? Tell us what you think below...

Source: Foresight report