Smartphone can spot early signs of depression - study

It's not about diagnosis, it's about early warning signs.

Details

Researchers analysed 52 scientific papers examining how data from smartphones and fitness trackers relate to mental health.

It turned out that early signs of depression can be indicated by changes in daily behaviour:

• moving less
• stays at home more often
• sleep disturbances
• decreased activity and communication

Physiological data, such as heart rate variability, and self-assessed mood were also taken into account.

Systems that take into account an individual's habits rather than comparing everyone to the same model work best.

Why it matters

Such technology can help spot a problem before it becomes serious.

This makes it possible to:

• seek help sooner
• prevent the condition from getting worse
• create apps to support mental health

At the same time, such systems do not replace a doctor, but only provide a signal.

Background

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world. It is estimated to affect approximately 1 in 20 people.

Early diagnosis is considered key to effective treatment.

Source

The study is published in the journal Nature Mental Health (2026). The scientists analysed data from 52 previous papers on digital mental health monitoring.