A Psychologist Explains The Surprising Link Between Skipping Breakfast And Depression

Research shows breakfast habits may directly impact your mood and stress levels throughout the day. Here are three ways skipping breakfast affects your mind.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | July 25, 2025

When you consider your eating habits, it's probable that you may think of only the physical impact they can have on your body. What many don't realize is that what you eat and when you eat can have a significant impact on your mental state too.

Nutrition is frequently discussed in terms of calories or macros. But it plays a huge role in shaping the way you focus and function throughout the day.

A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry examined this effect. Researchers explored how daily eating patterns, especially something as simple as skipping breakfast, can influence your mental health.

Researchers examined how frequently young people ate breakfast and assessed different aspects of impulsivity and mental health symptoms using standardized self-report tools.

To better understand how skipping breakfast impacts mood and thinking, the researchers also considered things like family background, mental health history and sleep routines.

Based on the findings of this study, here are three ways skipping breakfast can negatively affect your mental health and everyday functioning.

1. It's Associated With Higher Depressive Symptoms

Depression is often assumed to be a result of something mental that stems from sadness, negative thinking or stress. While that is true, it's only a part of the larger picture. There's growing research that shows depression is also deeply tied to biological and lifestyle factors. Sleep, physical activity, diet and your daily routine can factor into how the brain functions and how stable your mood feels.

Researchers found that young people who skipped breakfast more often reported more depressive symptoms than those who ate breakfast regularly.

Participants with more frequent breakfast-skipping patterns showed higher levels of low mood, sadness and emotional distress. So, something as seemingly small as skipping your morning meal has the power to affect your emotional state.

Depression is complex and is rarely caused entirely by a single factor. However, these findings highlight how basic self-care habits, like eating at consistent times, can support better mental health.

Try to think of breakfast not just as a nutritional choice but also as an act of care.

This one simple shift, where you pause and nourish yourself, can shape how supported you feel as you move through the day. It's a small act, but it can set the tone for how you show up for yourself. Remember that when your mood is lighter, you don't just feel better but are also more likely to think and perform better.

2. You May Have Trouble Focusing And Feel Mentally Restless

As researchers explored the link between breakfast skipping and depression, they also learned why this connection might exist.

One key factor was "attentional impulsivity." This refers to a person's tendency to get distracted easily, have trouble concentrating or feel mentally restless. Researchers found that young people who skipped breakfast more frequently showed higher levels of attentional impulsivity.

This impulsivity partially explained the connection between skipping breakfast and depressive symptoms. This suggests that skipping meals might interfere with the brain's ability to stay regulated and attentive, which could then affect one's mood.

Another study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience studied how eating breakfast affects mood and mental performance in adolescents, particularly those who usually skip breakfast.

To study this, researchers worked with 40 teenagers and tested them on two separate mornings. On one morning, they ate a low Glycaemic index breakfast (AllBran cereal and semi-skimmed milk) and on another morning, they didn't eat anything

The teens completed a series of cognitive tasks that tested memory, attention and problem-solving under different levels of difficulty, both times.

Their mood and feelings of hunger, alertness and satisfaction were also measured before and after the tasks.

Researchers found that after eating breakfast, participants felt more alert, content and focused. They even performed better on several mental tasks, especially those requiring memory and concentration. This suggests that even a simple morning meal can support sharper thinking and more stable moods throughout the school day.

If you often find yourself feeling mentally foggy or emotionally off, your eating habits might be worth taking a second look at.

3. It May Lower Self-Control And Emotional Regulation

The study had another interesting finding. Researchers of the 2025 study found that young people who skipped breakfast more often scored higher on "self-control impulsivity."

Self-control impulsivity refers to difficulty delaying gratification, resisting urges or managing emotional reactions. Basically, it's the ability to pause before reacting.

A higher frequency of skipping breakfast was also associated with mental health challenges like anxiety, irritability and poor decision-making. Starting your day without fuel might also impact your ability to manage cravings and stay emotionally steady, affecting your patience or self-restraint.

If you often find yourself snapping easily, struggling with self-discipline or giving in to emotional overwhelm, you must reflect on your mindset, but don't forget to check in with your body too.

Something as basic as eating breakfast could help stabilize not just your energy but also your inner sense of control.

Your Well-Being Begins With Intentional Choices

When life feels rushed and you're simply trying to keep up, it can be easy to put yourself last.

Pushing through without pause can feel like a convenient trade-off. You may not realize how small compromises, like skipping meals, can have a greater impact.

Self-care, ultimately, is a way of honoring what your body and mind truly need to function well. It's eating when you're hungry, resting when you're tired and more importantly, slowing down enough to check in with yourself.

Remember that when you're not okay or when your basic needs aren't being met, it can become harder for you to think clearly, stay calm or feel connected to yourself and others.

So, next time you feel tempted to skip breakfast or put off what your body is asking for, remember: taking care of yourself is how you keep showing up as your best and most regulated self.

Do you think you may have an unhealthy relationship with food? Take this science-backed test to find out: Eating Attitudes Test

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.