Depression has varying degrees of intensity. For some people living with the disorder, medication is required. For others, pursuing talk therapy helps combat the symptoms.
But those aren’t the only remedies.
An estimated 280 million people around the world suffer from some form of depression, with more than 5% of all adults living with the disorder. If you’re one of them, making a few simple lifestyle changes may be all it takes to improve how you feel and how your brain functions.
From exercising to improving sleep habits, here are seven tips for living with depression.
1. Eat Better
Like your heart, kidneys, and liver, what you eat has an effect on how your brain functions. Without the proper vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and acids in your diet, your brain will not be able to function at peak levels.
People living with depression should avoid the following:
- Refined foods
- Fried foods
- Processed foods
- Sugary foods
- Caffeinated beverages
Instead, your diet should focus on lean proteins, fatty fishes, whole grains, leafy greens, and fruits and veggies that provide Vitamin C.
2. Develop Better Sleeping Habits
Depression is a mood disorder, and too much or too little sleep can make it worse. It’s crucial for people with depression to work on maintaining good sleeping habits and getting the proper amount of sleep each night.
Sleep is the time during which our brain and body restore themselves. Improper sleep habits can make you tense, irritable, unproductive, and less active, all of which can exacerbate feelings of depression.
3. Learn Stress Management Techniques
Stress can be both a cause and effect of depression. In some people, chronic stress leads to depression and other mood disorders. In other people, depression can lead to increased stress.
Relationship difficulties, financial problems, and major life changes, such as an illness or the loss of a job, are some of the most common causes of stress. You can minimize how these factors affect you by learning stress management techniques, such as:
Deep breathing
Exercising
Meditation
Talking with friends and loved ones
Laugh therapy
You can also reduce stress levels by taking proactive steps to protect yourself against financial losses, job losses, and medical hardships. This article from Physicians Thrive explains how just by having a disability insurance policy, you can minimize the risks of all three of those stressors.
4. Maintain Relationships With Family and Friends
When suffering with depression, it’s crucial to have a support system of trusted friends and loved ones. The people in your support system can help to:
- Relieve feelings of loneliness and isolation
- Boost your self-confidence
- Motivate you to want to be social or active
- Hold you accountable for your actions
When you need emotional support, having friends and loved ones to rely on is key.
5. Exercise Regularly
Exercise doesn’t just improve the body. It also improves the brain.
Endorphins are chemicals in the brain that make us feel good, and physical exercise releases endorphins. Plus, the physical action of exercising can help take your mind off your worries and reduce negative thoughts.
Because regular exercise can also improve your level of fitness and activity, it can boost your self-confidence too. The more self-confident you are, the more you may want to socialize and spend time with other people, which can help reduce feelings of depression and isolation.
6. Avoid Alcohol
The idea of “drowning your sorrows” with a drink has the opposite effect in people who already have feelings of depression.
Many people claim that drinking alcohol makes them feel happier, and serotonin is the reason why. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to stabilize our mood. Alcohol, in moderate consumption, can help to boost the levels of serotonin in our brain.
Yet for those living with depression, alcohol consumption can actually lower serotonin levels and cause them to feel even more depressed.
7. Know When to Seek Professional Help
No matter what level of depression you have, it’s important to know when to seek the help of a mental health professional. Through talk therapy, either in person or virtually, mental health professionals can give you tools to help you combat negative thoughts, lower stress levels, and prescribe medications if need be.
Conclusion
Depression should be taken seriously, so it’s best to be proactive and focus on creating and maintaining good mental health in every way possible. From what you eat to how you sleep to who you talk to, every aspect of your life can affect how you think and behave. By putting these tips into practice, you can reduce your symptoms of depression and live a healthier, happier, more productive life.
