Depression is a difficult weight to bear. Depression affects around 6.7% of adults a year, and one in six people will have an experience during their lifetime. Whether you are new to the experience or have been struggling for some time, you are not alone. Everyone’s experiences will be different, and there isn’t a black-and-white solution available for fixing it. There are, however, means for managing your symptoms to help bring some relief.

Lean In To Your Social Circle

Depression is often characterized by feelings of loneliness. The last thing you want to do is isolate yourself, despite how good of an idea it might seem at the time. When you’re feeling down, finding the motivation to be social can be hard. Establish at least a few family/friends you trust to confide in when experiencing a hard time. Connecting with these people can help manage your symptoms and provide support to get through them. It can also be helpful to connect with others who share common interests as you or who are going through a similar situation. Look for exercise groups, book clubs, or support groups as a few ideas.

Getting Routine Exercise

Regular physical activity significantly and positively impacts your overall health, including your mental health. Getting in some form of exercise can reduce your symptoms and give you a much-needed mood boost. Moderate to high-intensity exercise, such as biking, running, speed walking, or swimming, has been shown to be the most effective with depression.

Managing Sleep Hygiene

Depression can cause a disruption in your sleep routine. Reduced quality of sleep can exacerbate your depression symptoms. It becomes a vicious cycle. Whether you’re sleeping too much or not enough, you want to focus on a good regimen. Start by making sure sleep is a priority. Create a nighttime routine and have a space that is welcoming for relaxation. Be consistent with your sleep schedule. And make sure you are getting the recommended number of hours each night.

Create Self Care Habits

During depression episodes, taking care of your basic daily necessities is a struggle. As hard as it may seem some days, taking care of yourself will actually help improve your mood. Put a self-care spin on things to over-emphasize the task. Take a nice bubble bath. Give yourself a spa day. Dress nicely. If you have adulting tasks to get done, make yourself a checklist that you can check off as you go to feel more accomplished.

Enjoy The Great Outdoors

Nature has great healing power, especially for depression relief. Not only is the fresh air great, but there are also so many things outside that can be used for grounding exercises. Sights, smells, and sounds that can’t be found inside. Research has shown that time in green areas can improve your cognition and reduce any depression symptoms you may be having. Next time you feel down, go for a walk, read a book outside, or even use gardening as a hobby.

Practice Mindfulness

Depression can play with your emotions and cause a negative outlook on many things. Gratitude can be difficult but helpful to your mood. Meditation is an option to bring you into the present moment and focus on something, maybe even just one thing, that is positive. It can help reduce the other clutter of negative thoughts swimming around in your head. Journaling is also an exercise that can help get the negative out or shift your focus to one positive thing that happens each day.

If you are struggling with depression and need someone to help you through, we are here to help. Schedule a consult with us today for depression therapy.

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