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Research Presentation

Physical Health as a Component of Well-Being

How Exercise, Nutrition, and Sleep Improve Mental Health — and Why That Matters for the Trusts We Draft

  • Keith A. Herman
  • ACTEC Well-Being Subcommittee
  • Tampa, March 2026

In March 2026, Keith presented to the Well-Being Subcommittee of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a peer-elected organization of the country’s leading trusts and estates attorneys. The topic: how exercise, nutrition, and sleep improve mental health and subjective well-being, and how all of it is built into the Health & Well-Being Journal. The presentation draws on 35 peer-reviewed sources.

What the Research Shows

Exercise

43%

Fewer bad mental health days per month among people who exercised regularly, in a study of 1.2 million U.S. adults.
Chekroud et al., Lancet Psychiatry, 2018

Nutrition

2 wks

Young adults given extra fruits and vegetables showed clear improvements in vitality, motivation, and flourishing in as little as 14 days.
Conner et al., PLoS One, 2017

Sleep

2.5×

People averaging 6 hours of sleep or less were 2.5 times more likely to experience frequent mental distress, in a study of nearly 274,000 adults.
Blackwelder et al., Preventing Chronic Disease, 2021

View the Full Presentation

All 16 slides, including the sample trust provision and full reference list.

Download PDF →

Put the Research to Work

The Health & Well-Being Journal translates this evidence into a structured 13-week daily practice addressing physical health and mental well-being, in about 10 minutes a day.

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