The prolonged feeling of sadness that cripples you and prevents you from doing the basic things in life calls for immediate attention. Depression often takes in its roots inside your brain and it takes more than simple prescription meds to recover.
First, it is essential you consult a specialist and abide by the prescription. Once you have this thing sorted, you can opt for a better lifestyle which can boost your recovery.
- Exercise
Do you know exercising builds happy hormones? As per research, exercising for 30 minutes regularly can improve the symptoms of depression. Exercise helps you reduce stress, improves your sleeping pattern and helps build self-esteem.
- Watch What You Eat
Diet is the second most important lifestyle change you must adapt. Your brain requires nutrients like vitamins and minerals to function optimally. Nutrient deficiency can lead to poor brain functioning. Adding in omega-3 and fatty acids in your diet is highly recommended for improved brain performance.
Rich sources of omega-3 include fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish. Another important brain-friendly nutrient is Amino Acids – these help with Neurotransmitter production in your brain. They can be found in meat, dairy items and certain types of fruits and vegetables too.
You can boost recovery and ease the symptoms of depression by adding complex carbohydrates to your diet. These can help you lift your mood. With a sufficient amount of complex carbohydrates, your body can absorb more amino acids that can help sustain the supply of glucose to your brain.
- Sleep Well
Sleeping well is another important aspect of your lifestyle change to cure depression. If you have a bad sleeping pattern, then this may be one reason for depression. Eight hours of sleep every night is a must for every person. This is the time when the brain rebuilds itself and gets some rest. Lying on the bed but staying awake because of the active brain or waking up in the middle of the night and then being unable to sleep again is a sleep disorder.
To ensure that you have a good sleep, set a bedtime routine. Fix a time when you sleep and set your room at the right temperature to sleep unbothered. Have a nice mattress to sleep on and use soothing scented candles to unwind easily.
- Manage Stress
Learn to manage your stress on your own. Taking things to heart will only worsen your condition. Involve yourself in some healthy activities so you can manage your day-to-day stresses. Choose any activity that helps you distract and relax well. The best choices include reading, watching TV, listening to music, shopping, etc.
- Connect with like-minded People
Building on your relationships is another common lifestyle change you need to adopt. Make sure you surround yourself with people that lift you up and support you. Avoid negativity as much as you can and stay with people that build you up.
Being an introvert is good, but is essential you have a group of close peers to help you in a rough patch. Being surrounded by positive people helps us stay positive too. Likewise being with negative people adds negativity to our lives.
Bonus – Focus on Me-Time
Adding some Me-Time is vital to boost recovery, the best way is to meditate. Meditation brings back balance into your life. With deep breathing and chanting mantras, you relax your mind and clarify it. This leads to you having a clear vision and helps you with the sleep disorder too.
Go out in the sun. If you are an indoor person and stay away from the sunlight at all times, then your depression would prolong. There might be a chance that you are suffering from the seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If this is the case, go out in the light and absorb some sunlight. This helps open your mind and gives you a feeling of being alive. You may even opt for a light therapy though but nothing beats natural sunlight.
The Bottom Line
Depression is treatable. In fact, with proper medicines and lifestyle change you can overcome it. However, the key focus here is to be hopeful and learn to have a positive outlook towards life. Everyone faces diversity, it is standing tall in the dark times that help us build ourselves in the future. Stay strong, stay alive, be happy and live life to its fullest!
Here’s an important reminder. When depression gets overwhelming, don’t shy away from seeking professional help. You can visit a healthcare facility or use a trustworthy telemedicine company to contact a mental health counselor.