Have you ever thought of living your life Happily? You can recover from depression only if you want to, all you need to do is; adopt healthy Lifestyle changes that may help you to manage your feelings of sadness or lack of interest. Therapy and antidepressants are the first-line treatments for depression, but you can still navigate your depression by making small changes to your daily routine, diet, and lifestyle habits that can all have a positive effect.
Depression feeds on your self-esteem, it can drain your energy, making you feel anxious, persistent sad, and feelings of loneliness. It bound a person’s ability to do something or any activities due to mood disorders. Remember “there is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t”. Depression not only oppresses you from within but also makes you feel hopeless.
What do the common symptoms of depression look like?
- Mood Swings: sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
- Trouble Sleeping
- Change of Interest or Pleasure
- Guilt or Low Self-Esteem
- Change in Appetite
- Anxiety or agitation
- Suicidal thoughts or feeling worthless
- Lack of Concentration
- The frequent attempts to Self-Harm
You need to divert your mind, practice mindfulness, and do things that make you happy, make you feel better. Enhance your home environment by spending time with your family and friends, seeking out help, and sharing your feelings with them. Go out hiking, make some new friends, do some outdoor activities and exercise, or just divert your mind to something playful and good.
Are you ready to make some lifestyle changes? Pretty sure these changes will not only boost your mind but also alleviate many of your symptoms including stress Here we go:
Reach out and stay connected with positive people
Don’t isolate yourself as it increases the risk and symptoms of your depression. Stay in touch with your family, friends, or someone you are close to. Find a balance to spend time together in person as socializing with positive people will help in overcoming depression. Getting support from your local community, hanging out with good friends, joining volunteer groups, improving your social networks, or adopting a pet can reduce the feeling of emptiness and loneliness. Interacting with your loved ones can encourage you to adopt a healthy lifestyle- diet, exercise, medications, and treatment plans, all on track.
Being more active with Exercise
Exercise and mental health work together as physical activity releases brain chemicals called endorphins that elevate overall mood. It lowers the symptoms of depression and boosts energy levels. However, the exercise would be difficult for most people as they have very little energy when feeling depressed. You can always start slow, and set small goals such as taking walks around blocks, using stairs instead of an elevator, joining a fitness class with your friend, dancing out to keep you motivated, or trying a new exercise that keeps you happy. You may start with at least 20 min of walking each day and gradually increase your activity. Take yourself outdoors, breathe in the fresh air take some sunshine and heal from within. Exercise helps to relieve mild to moderate depression and improves the quality of sleep. The result is always satisfying after a challenging workout as it boosts your confidence and self-esteem. Feel better every day with exercise.
Express your Feelings in Writing
Maintain a journal where you can write down your thoughts and feelings more clearly. It helps to track down your symptoms each day and identify problems, triggers, and warning signs related to depression. Journaling or writing is said to be a powerful tool for fighting depression. Make a goal to write at least a few lines before going to sleep as it helps you to destress your thoughts. Be honest with your journal and list down things that you are grateful for and the challenges you face with depression.
Routine is a Must
Build a simple routine that is easy to follow. Structure a routine to create a balance that you have to do every day. For example, simply getting up for meditation and going to outdoor activities or scheduling a routine for self-care on weekends. Routines help you with stability in dealing with stress, depression, and anxiety. It alleviates the symptoms of mental health and signifies good habits. Gently schedule a routine that keeps your activities on track and reduces the feeling of depression.
Track your Diet and Lean on Healthy Food
Food has a significant effect on what you put in your body and can impact the way you feel. A nutritious diet will support your mental and physical behavior. Eating in moderation is key to a balanced diet. Eat more salads made up of fresh fruits and veggies, and fatty fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, anchovies, herring, and mackerel. Include leafy greens, beans, nuts, lean meat, chicken, and eggs. For gut health, include foods rich in probiotics such as yogurt, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha. Your body will feel more energized when you cut-off sugar, refined carbs, preservatives, and other processed food from your diet. Such food triggers diabetes, blood pressure, weight gain, and mood swings. Avoid skipping your meal and try to eat as healthy food as possible to keep you away from depression.
Say no to Alcohol
Alcohol itself is a depressant that has long-term consequences. People who struggle with drinking problems must consider consulting a doctor or therapist as it worsens the symptoms of depression. Avoid consuming alcohol when on an antidepressant as it may have a negative interaction with the medications to control depression. Alcohol contributes to feelings of sadness, behavior problems, irregular sleep, and delays the recovery process of depression. Avoiding alcohol is a step ahead to a healthy lifestyle.
Seek Professional and Clinical help
Refer going to a therapist or specialist that can access your symptoms and develop a clinical plan best for your needs. These professional specialists will work with you to find the best solution for your treatment. You may get support, guidance, therapy, meditation, practice stress management, and medical treatment. Talk to your doctor if you are suffering from suicidal symptoms and seek help immediately. Your professional specialists or therapist will find the best approach to treating your depression, speeding your recovery, and prevent from returning.
Reconnect with Nature
Nature has a powerful influence on a person’s mood and lowers the risk of mental health. Getting out in nature can boost overall health as it increases serotonin and vitamin D levels. Indulge yourself in outdoor activities such as spend time gardening, hiking, outdoor exercise, walking in a local park or garden, and much more. Try scheduling outdoor activities to soak yourself in the sun for at least 15 minutes a day. A walk-in nature and greenery may improve symptoms of depression and alleviate a good mood.
Bottom Line
Depression can’t be treated overnight, it’s an ongoing process to keep yourself happy, relaxed, and motivated. Remember taking the first step will always be difficult but it gets easier as you step ahead. Give yourself enough time to heal and you shall find yourself feeling happier, healthier, and more hopeful.
Depression is a highly subjective condition. Many factors such as genetics, family history, and life events may trigger symptoms of depression. If your depression is too severe seek medical help along with counseling.
