A 2026 study looked at nearly 80,000 university students in the United States and Canada. Researchers studied 51 parts of their lives. These included sleep, money worries and free time. They looked at feeling well, including having support, hobbies and a purpose in life.
Time with other people had the strongest link to feeling well. Students often felt better when they spent more time with friends, joined student groups or went to cultural events. Time spent on paid work and unpaid family duties came second. These duties also had a link to feeling well.
Problems with friends, partners and people sharing a home had the strongest link to feeling less well. Problems with alcohol or drugs, sleep difficulties and time spent looking at screens also had negative links. The findings were similar for students with and without anxiety or depression. These conditions can involve strong worry or deep sadness.
The researchers suggest giving students more chances to meet in person. Clubs and community events can help with this. Students can also get help to build friendships and deal with disagreements. However, meeting friends cannot solve mental illness: people with these health problems need care from trained professionals.
