<p>To most of us, ice cream is a treat.&nbsp; Perhaps it is a reward after a long day, or maybe as a special treat when the temperatures climb high.&nbsp; Besides being a tasty treat that we have as a guilty pleasure, though, there is a connection between ice cream and mental health that is starting to get some traction.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The reported power of ice cream</strong></p> <p>From vanilla to chocolate, and sprinkled or cherried, there are studies reporting that having ice cream as a breakfast food can have a positive impact both on your outlook as well as the actual day waiting for you, regardless of your age or what you are working on.&nbsp; In a Japanese study, participants were given ice cream first thing in the morning and studied over time to see if it had a statistically significant effect.&nbsp; They found that ice cream:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Promotes better mental alertness:</strong> Similar to how we see coffee or tea, having ice cream for breakfast made participants more metnally alert and feeling prepared for the day and its tasks, than those who did not have ice cream for breakfast.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Makes us happy:</strong> Participants also reported a greater satisfaction overall as far as mood, when starting their day with ice cream.&nbsp; It often made them feel more enthusiastic and positive about the day ahead of them, even when they otherwise would have felt uncertain or frustrated.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Gives many a reason to get up and get going:</strong> Knowing that they would get their favorite ice cream waiting for them when they got up each morning, participants found that they were more willing to actually get up, even when dealing with a poor night&rsquo;s sleep, or mental health conditions such as depression.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p><strong>Does it check out?</strong></p> <p>After some research, scientists agree that while ice cream certainly helps with all three of these focuses, it is not the only solution.&nbsp; The mental alertness was matched with having a glass of cold water for breakfast, though not quite as high as the ice cream scores.&nbsp; As far as overall happiness, this was linked to fat content rather than ice cream specifically.&nbsp; The &ldquo;get up and go&rdquo; reasoning was much the same.</p> <p>Mental health factors into daily lives for many people.&nbsp; Even though ice cream itself may not be connected to the positive effects in participants, it is reassuring to see that something as &ldquo;simple&rdquo; as putting dessert first on the menu can make a serious, noticeable difference.&nbsp;</p> <p>For children, teens or adults that are feeling in a crisis and struggling to make ends meet, simply switching out breakfast food when going through those especially dark days and times can make all of the difference.</p> <p>Bottom line: ice cream may not be the only cure for your morning drowsiness and lack of motivation, but it certainly does not hurt!&nbsp; Plus, who can argue with the concept of getting to eat dessert before anything else -- particularly on a Monday morning.&nbsp; It turns out that maybe ice cream does not need to be such a guilty pleasure, after all!</p> <p><strong>Sources</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.onlymyhealth.com/mental-health-benefits-of-ice-cream-having-ice-cream-for-breakfast-can-be-beneficial-for-the-brain-1570621098">https://www.onlymyhealth.com/mental-health-benefits-of-ice-cream-having-ice-cream-for-breakfast-can-be-beneficial-for-the-brain-1570621098</a></li> <li><a href="https://nsucurrent.nova.edu/2020/07/14/mental-health-matters-feeling-down-start-your-day-with-ice-cream/">https://nsucurrent.nova.edu/2020/07/14/mental-health-matters-feeling-down-start-your-day-with-ice-cream/</a></li> </ul>