Unhappy? Try some dirt.

Victims of depression could benefit from a down-to-earth approach … getting dirty.

Apparently the ‘friendly’ bacteria in soil can be as uplifting as anti-depressant drugs.

Mice treated with the bacteria appeared more relaxed. It stimulated the immune system and activated brain neurons producing the mood-enhancing chemical seratonin, a study has shown.

One expert said research involving mycobacterium vaccae “leaves us wondering if we shouldn’t all spend more time playing in the dirt.”

Dr. Chris Lowry, of Bristol University, added: This soil is found almost anywhere. But we need to find a way of getting it in our system.”

Research was triggered after cancer patients treated with the bacteria felt their quality of life had improved.

Scientists who studied mice brains found the treatment activated the seratonin- producing neurons. A lack of the chemical in the brain has been linked to depression.

Dr. Lowry said: “These studies help us understand how the body communicates with the brain and why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining mental health.”

The findings, published in Neuroscience, support the idea that increasing the release of seratonin in parts of the brain regulates mood. Further studies are planned to see if the bacteria stimulates this process.

And the research appears to support a theory that emphasis on cleaning and hygiene could be affecting our immune systems.

A rise in conditions like asthma and allergies could be linked to lack of exposure to various micro-organisms, it is argued.

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