Soft computing analysis of the factors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression

Stress, Anxiety, and Depression (SAD) are pervasive mental health issues that have substantial impacts on individual and societal well-being. This paper identifies eight key factors of SAD, workplace pressure to poor sleep quality (C1–C8), and explores six targeted interventions (ALT1 to ALT6) designed to mitigate these effects. Among these causes, poor sleep and chronic fatigue are emphasized for their profound impact on mental health, as they disrupt emotional resilience and cognitive functioning. By utilizing the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP), systematically analyze and prioritize these causes and interventions to identify the most effective strategies for SAD prevention and management. The analysis highlights adequate sleep as a crucial intervention to address poor sleep quality, underscoring its role in stabilizing mood and reducing SAD symptoms. This paper advocate’s structured sleep hygiene as a central preventive measure within mental health frameworks, promoting resilience and improved quality of life. These findings reinforce the importance of prioritizing sleep alongside other interventions to address the complex network of factors contributing to SAD. © The Author(s) 2025.