Depression isn’t just a case of emotional wellness, it’s a major health concern that can impact all areas of your wellbeing. However, even taking just a few simple steps can help you to lift yourself out of the darkness.
1. Don’t blame yourself: Although this may be easier said than down, relieving yourself of blame is the most important thing you can do to beat depression. In order to set yourself on the road to recovery, you first need to clear it of the stumbling blocks of stigma, guilt and feelings of inadequacy. You need patience and a practical, proactive approach to manage the symptoms of depression.
2. Try to look on the bright side: According to life coach and Health magazine columnist M. J. Ryan, the author of AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For, ‘How you frame something can change everything.’ Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of a situation, try to consider the sunny side. If it’s pouring rain, for example, at least it will do your garden a lot of good. The thoughts may seem simple and small, but these bright ideas will lead to a more optimistic and inventive you who can take on just about anything.
3. Get a good night’s sleep: There’s no way you can understate the importance of a good night’s sleep. While everyone has different sleep needs, and more research needs to be done on the link between sleep and depression, experts advise people with depression to get enough sleep and maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule.
4. Let the sun shine on your life: Michael Terman, PhD, the director of the Centre for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at Columbia University Medical Centre, explains, ‘Brightening your bedroom when you wake up helps you feel happier all day.’ If you have a timer for your lights and lamps, get them to switch on 15 minutes before your alarm sounds to get a “dawn simulation” effect. You can also leave curtains and blinds open for the same effect, although this might make sleeping at night more tricky. Terman adds that just being outside in the sunshine can also boost your mood and, as morning sunlight is the most beneficial, a pre-work walk will work wonders.
5. Get better bulbs: A lack of sunlight is the main cause of seasonal affective disorder (the appropriately acronymed SAD) which contributes to a depressed mood. In this country, getting lots of sunshine isn’t often an option, but you can try and incorporate a little artificial sunlight into your life. In high-traffic areas, such as the kitchen and living room, try using compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs mimic sunlight better than incandescent bulbs.
6. Get yourself a furry little friend: Researchers at the University of Missouri–Columbia recently found that petting a dog for just 15 minutes releases the feel-good hormones serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin, and lowers the stress hormone cortisol. However, if you fall on the feline side of the dogs vs. cat debate, you can still benefit too, as other studies have shown that playing with your kitty provides a similar mood and health boost.
7. Fake it until you make it: Making yourself smile, even when you don’t feel like it, can actually help you to smile for real. In a study from Clark University, participants were told to smile or frown, depending on the group they were in. After this, both groups were shown cartoons, and the group of participants who smiled beforehand thought the shows were funnier than the frowners did. Lead researcher James Laird, PhD surmises that the simple act of smiling seems to activate happiness centres in the brain.
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