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Practical Tips To Deal With Depression

…this is for Sushant!

अवसाद/Depression से निपटने के लिए 3 उपयोगी टिप्स, हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए यहां क्लिक करें …

One cannot be considered healthy without having a sound mental health.

        Since the 90s, depression rates have escalated, and roughly one in five Indians will suffer from major depression at some point in their lives. Everything feels more challenging when you’re dealing with depression. Going to work, socializing with friends, or even just getting out of bed can feel like an uphill battle.

                      While there is no quick fix or one-size-fits-all for overcoming depression, but there are some things you can do to cope with your symptoms and improve your quality of life. 

                                These are techniques that can help lift the emotional paralysis and ruminating that often accompany depression. Both of which make it much more difficult to focus on the behavioral changes that are necessary to prevent a relapse. Luckily, there are ways to punch holes in the curtain of unrelenting darkness.

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Practical Tips To Deal With Depression

Tip No.1 

Get Physical:

No, not in the ‘fight mode’ kind. When a person is depressed, his physical activity graph goes down. There is fatigue, lethargy, and a general lack of motivation to do anything. But just as depression can impact your physical activity, you can use physical activity to fight depression. Researchers have found that establishing a regular exercise routine can actually reduce depression. Physical activity releases brain chemicals that relieve stress, promote alertness, and improve overall mental well-being.

THE HOW?

The biggest hurdles are 1) not having enough energy, and 2) not knowing how to get started. Interestingly, exercise does not have to be complicated, sophisticated, and very physically demanding. Introducing small changes that are maintained over the long haul will have a huge impact on keeping your mind and body working well. Routine physical activity can be simple, straightforward, and fun. 

-Physical activity needs to happen throughout the week. Aim for five separate 30-minute sessions each week.

-Variety is the spice of life. Make sure you vary your physical activity so that you don’t get bored. 

-To get the most benefit out of any physical activity, work up a sweat, and keep at it for at least 30 minutes.

-Think realistically about what you might be able to do. Tailor your plan to your needs and abilities.

-The ultimate goal is for physical activity to become a lifelong habit that you take pride in and enjoy and not just getting a six-pack or reducing 15 kgs.

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Practical Tips To Deal With Depression

Tip No.2

Eat Better:

Food is your fuel. It’s where you get the energy to walk, breathe, and think. Food also determines how you feel, essentially because your gut and your brain are in constant communication. In fact, studies have shown that eating fast-food and processed food i.e., foods high in fat, salt, and sugar can make you depressed. 

But what you eat can also be used to fight depression. For example, research has found that a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of depression. Common problems related to food when a person is depressed: 1) not eating enough, 2) eating too much, and 3) lacking the motivation to look after your diet. 

THE HOW?

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated or turn your life upside down. Small changes that are maintained over the long term can end up having a big effect on keeping your mind and body in tip-top shape.

-Start by eating raw fruits and vegetables that require no preparation.

-Try eating a bunch of small meals or healthy snacks throughout the day rather than focusing on preparing the typical three large meals each day.

-Avoid eating when you feel upset, bored, stressed, sad, angry, or lonely. It does not make those feelings go away.

-Try to limit mindless eating when you’re watching TV or at a computer.

-Reduce your intake of unhealthy and processed carbs, that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs cause “sugar crash” which ultimately makes you feel really tired.

-Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains in a variety of colors.

-Drink plenty of water, throughout the day.

-Focus on getting your vitamins and nutrients from a regular diet of wholesome foods rather than relying on dietary supplements.

-Avoid caffeine and Limit alcohol. It can actually contribute to depression or make it worse.

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Practical Tips To Deal With Depression

Tip No.3

Sleep Tight:

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. However, the way you feel while you’re awake depends, in part, on what happens while you’re sleeping.

During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health.

But when a person is depressed, getting good sleep can be tough.

When you can’t get enough sleep, you don’t act normal. You might have anger issues, feel tired and drained, get stressed easily, or have a harder time thinking clearly. Finding ways to get better sleep is crucial not only for managing depression but also for good overall health. Since we spend nearly a third of our lives sleeping – it’s important to get it right. Some of the most common problems related to sleep when depressed: 1) not being able to fall asleep, 2) waking up frequently during the night, and 3) not being able to get out of bed.

THE HOW?

 A lot of us often overlook the importance of good sleep; we plan our days, but not our nights. For the most part, sleeping well simply means putting into place some good habits. Making these small changes – and maintaining them over the long term – can have a huge effect on your quality of life.

-Don’t lie around waiting to fall asleep. If you’re not able to fall asleep after 15 minutes, try getting up and doing something quiet and relaxing instead, such as reading. Once you’re feeling tired again try going back to sleep.

-Limit bright lights. Bright lights can mess with your circadian rhythm and disrupt your sleep cycle.

-Avoid caffeine and nicotine. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and can make it tough to get to sleep.

-Make your bed comfortable. You’ll want a good bed and pillow for a good night’s rest.

-Get some sunlight. So, try to get outside when you can as sunlight helps keep your sleep-wake cycle regulated.  

-Reserve your bed for sleep. No doubt, your bed might be comfortable but you want your mind to connect your bed with sleep, not with lying around eating, watching TV, or working.

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Practical Tips To Deal With Depression

Additional Tips To Consider: 

Release the Stress: Stress and anxiety can prolong your depression. Using relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and even journaling can help you lower stress and invite more joy and balance into your day.

Practice Gratitude: When you do something you love, or even when you find a new activity you enjoy, you may be able to boost your mental health more by taking time to be thankful for it. Research shows gratitude can have lasting positive effects on your overall mental health.

Create a Routine: If depressive symptoms disrupt your daily routine, setting a gentle schedule may help you feel in control. But these plans don’t have to map out an entire day. Focus on times when you feel the most disorganized or scattered. Your schedule could focus on the time before work or right before bed. Focus on creating a loose, but structured, routine that can help you keep your daily pace going.

Feel Your Feelings: Suppressing your feelings and emotions may seem like a strategic way to cope with the negative symptoms of depression. But this technique is ultimately unhealthy. If you’re having a down day, have it. Let yourself feel the emotions — but don’t stay there. Consider writing down about what you’re experiencing. Then, when the feelings go away, write about that, too. Seeing the ebb and flow of depressive symptoms can be informative for both self-healing and hope.

Find your Social Support Network: Humans are wired to connect. None of us is immune to feelings of isolation, any more than we are immune to feelings of hunger or physical pain. Reach out, call a friend or family member and get together for coffee, or go for a hike, or meet up at a park. Even small steps like volunteering and smiling at strangers make you open up your life.

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Practical Tips To Deal With Depression

A Word of Caution: 

 Depression is a diagnosable and treatable condition. There’s no reason to suffer in silence or to guess whether or not what you’re feeling qualifies as depression. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, or someone you love is in danger, we strongly suggest that you reach out to a qualified mental health professional. 

Following are the Mental Health Accounts FITrebel.in follows on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/meditation_helps/

https://www.instagram.com/talkitoutapp/

https://www.instagram.com/motivation_ignition/

https://www.instagram.com/anika_counsellor/

https://www.instagram.com/whomental/

अवसाद/Depression से निपटने के लिए 3 उपयोगी टिप्स