Depression can be overwhelming and prevent you from enjoying things you once had an interest in. It affects everyone differently, but it can interfere with your daily activities, work, and life in general.
Depression is a mood disorder characterized by profound feelings of sadness, isolation, hopelessness, or emptiness.
Treating depression effectively means doing more than taking medications and going to therapy. The more you change your lifestyle to ensure a healthy mind and body, the more you’ll be able to cope with the challenges of depression.
Below are some ways you can improve your lifestyle to complement your depression treatment. As always, consult with your doctor before making any changes.
Eating healthy is good for your body and will help your mood overall. A simple way to improve your diet is to limit foods high in refined sugar and saturated fats while including healthier foods that include fatty acids, essential amino acids, and micronutrients.
Some of the best foods to include in your diet:
- fruits
- vegetables
- whole grains
- legumes
- nuts
- seeds
- lean protein
Fatty acids
Omega-3s and omega-6s are two types of heart-healthy fatty acids. These can be found in:
- fish
- nuts
- fatty fish
- nut butters
- avocado
- olive oil
Branched-chain amino acids
Certain essential amino acids, known as branched-chain amino acids, are associated with better mental health. These amino acids include valine, leucine, and isoleucine, and they can be found in high protein foods.
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However, additional research is needed to confirm these results.
Micronutrients
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Exercise increases your body’s production of natural antidepressants. Exercising for
- reduce stress
- improve mood
- boost self-esteem
- provide restful sleep
Meditation is the practice of engaging in a mental exercise, such as deep breathing or repeating a phrase or mantra, to achieve some kind of benefit. In the Buddhist tradition, the goal of meditation is spiritual enlightenment. Many modern practices focus on stress relief and relaxation.
Meditation can help relieve anxiety that sometimes accompanies depression. If depression is disrupting your sleep habits, deep breathing techniques may help calm your mind to help you sleep better.
People with depression often experience a lack of sleep. Lying awake in bed at night with a brain that won’t calm down or waking in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep are common symptoms.
Fatigue from lack of sleep can add to symptoms of depression, so proper sleep is an important part of a depression treatment plan.
It may be helpful to develop a calming bedtime routine that can help you wind down at the end of the day, and follow a consistent sleep schedule to improve the amount and quality of sleep you get.
Depression can be alienating, and the right network of friends and loved ones can help you overcome your issues. Spend time with positive, supportive, and loving people to help you through rocky times.
Stress is a part of life, but chronic, long-term stress can be debilitating, especially for someone with depression. Stress builds upon itself, so it’s essential to help improve stress with calming, soothing experiences.
Stress management is different for everyone, so you are the best person to decide which healthy activities help you. Some ideas to consider are:
- watching your favorite movie
- reading a good book
- practicing a hobby
- listening to music
- writing in a journal
- exercising
Depression is a serious disorder. Its symptoms of sadness and isolation can be debilitating. Depression very often requires professional treatment. The methods discussed above might relieve minor symptoms.
It can help to stay healthy by eating right, exercising, and getting plenty of sleep to help with depression. Talk with your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of depression and if you want to make any changes to your lifestyle.