Depression drains your energy, hope, and drive, making it difficult to do what you need to feel better. Recovering from depression requires action. But taking action when you’re depressed is hard. In fact, just thinking about the things you should do to feel better, like going for a walk or spending time with friends, can be exhausting.
- Adequate sleep with short nap if needed. Sleeping is when our body recovers. Our immune system repairs itself, our brains rest and grow, and we store energy for the next day. Yet we are constantly overworking ourselves, putting ourselves in stressful situations, and not getting enough sleep. We often overeat when we are tired and grumpy, which makes for a much harder life.
- Get regular exercise. When you’re depressed, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. But exercise is a powerful tool for dealing with depression. In fact, studies show that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication at increasing energy levels and decreasing feelings of fatigue. Simple exercises are
- Take the stairs rather than the elevator
- Park your car in the farthest spot in the lot
- Take your dog for a walk
- Pair up with an exercise partner
- Walk while you’re talking on the phone
- Meditation or prayer. Most people think of prayer as religious, but it does not have to be. If you hold on to all of your problems, it can easily get overwhelming and trigger into a hopelessness that spirals out of control. So take some time to let things go, think good thoughts about others, and bring your mind to a peaceful place.
Depression
- Eat healthy food. What we eat nourishes our body, including our brain. If we eat well our brain feels it, just as it does when we drink a lot of coffee and consume a lot of sugar. There are so many farmers’ markets now, and people selling locally-grown food through co-ops, that getting fresh fruit and veggies should not be hard to do.
- Journaling. It is great way to overcome the depression. Writing is a great way to release emotions. It is unfiltered thought, where you can speak your mind without editing. No judgments, criticisms or condemnations from others. It allows you to explore emotions on a level that you may not necessarily always consider when thinking, but somehow come to you as you put a pen to paper.
- Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is often overlooked, but our body is made up of 95 percent water. When it does not have enough we often feel lethargic, grumpy, and get headaches. We also tend to mistake hunger for thirst, so before getting that bag of chips out drink a glass or two of water. Soda, lemonade or flavored drinks do not count as water.
- Getting enough Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids are specific nutrients that help the brain, yet often we do not get enough of either through our diets alone. We also now use sunscreen which we did not use in the old days, blocking out our skin’s absorption of Vitamin D from the sun.
- Get Busy. Get Inspired. You’ll be more likely to overcome any feeling of depression if you are too busy to notice it. Live a life full of inspired activities. Do the things you love. You could engage in simple stuffs like taking a leisurely stroll in the park, playing sports, reading books, or engaging in any activity that you have passion for and would love to pursue.
- Take a Break. Listen to music which you like. Soak in a nice warm bath. Ask one of your close friends to massage you. Take a break from your stressful workload and spend the day just goofing around. In other words, have fun.
- Alcohol is a depressant and this will fuel your depression, so look for other ways to escape drudgery or have fun and socialize.
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