Another way is to join a team that plays a sport you like, such as golf, bowling, or tennis. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.
Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.
Recent Blog Articles. Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? Preventing preeclampsia may be as simple as taking an aspirin. Caring for an aging parent? Tips for enjoying holiday meals. Fresh air and sunshine are especially healing for folks dealing with a special form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder SAD. While research has shown that regular physical activity can be effective in both the prevention and treatment of depression, it can be hard to start an exercise habit when you're depressed.
Lack of energy and low mood may mean that you simply feel too fatigued to get up and get active. Some things that you can try to stick to your habit:.
Alcohol in and of itself is a depressant. Drinking can interfere with sleep, and quality sleep is a key to battling the blues. While alcohol might seem like a quick fix to escape what you are feeling, it can actually make many of the symptoms of depression feel much worse. Not only that, but it can decrease inhibitions and potentially lead to risky behaviors and bad decisions that can have long-term consequences.
If you're taking any sort of antidepressant, you really shouldn't drink at all. Alcohol doesn't interact well with medication. If you have been misusing alcohol or other substances and need help quitting, talk to your doctor. You may also have an alcohol or substance use disorder. Withdrawal symptoms may temporarily worsen symptoms of depression, so you may need extra assistance as you go through the recovery process. What you eat can have a direct effect on how you think and feel. Make sure to eat a well-balanced diet that's rich in nutrients.
A nutritionist or dietitian can help you analyze your eating habits and pinpoint potential nutrient deficiencies that could contribute to depression. Some foods that may be especially beneficial when you have depression include:.
Pollyanna-ish as it may sound, thinking good thoughts can help you feel good. Your thoughts truly do have a direct bearing on your mood. If you're struggling with negativity, consider seeing a therapist to help you learn ways to counter it. One of the most popular and effective treatments used in the treatment of depression is cognitive behavioral therapy CBT. This form of psychotherapy focuses on identifying negative thinking patterns and then replacing them with more positive ones.
There are different ways that you can practice some of these ideas on your own. Sometimes these thoughts can be obvious, such as times when you berate or criticize yourself. Other times, they can be more subtle. You might find yourself engaging in things like catastrophizing or all-or-nothing thinking. Catastrophizing involves always anticipating negative outcomes. All-or-nothing thinking means that you think of things as either successes or failures with no in-between.
Once you get better at recognizing these cognitive patterns, you can start working on some healthier replacements. When you find yourself having a negative thought, consciously reframe it in a positive way. For example, you might replace something like "This will never work" with something more positive such as, "Here are a few things that I can try that will help me get started.
CBT is an effective treatment for depression that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns that contribute to feelings of depression. You can try these strategies on your own by becoming more aware of negative thinking and shifting them to be more realistic and positive. Stress can drive up levels of a brain chemical called cortisol , which has been found to be higher in folks with depression.
There are lots of strategies for coping with stress, such as time management, meditation, and biofeedback training. Some stress-relieving activities that you might want to incorporate into your daily life include:. Learning to manage your stress takes time and practice. Talk to your doctor or therapist about other strategies you might try to minimize the stress and your response to it.
You may also find it helpful to add indoor plants to your home or office environment. Natural settings are associated with improved mental well-being, so it makes sense that "bringing the outdoors in" might help improve your mood. Studies have shown that adding indoor plants to your home or office can help in a variety of ways, including:. Choosing certain plants may provide additional benefits. For example, research suggests that the scent of a lavender plant can help people feel calmer and more relaxed.
No matter what type of plants you choose, greenery can be a great way to beautify your surroundings and potentially improve your mood. When you're depressed, there's no reason to go it alone, and there are all sorts of reasons to reach out to friends and family.
Make plans with loved ones and keep those dates. Join a club or sign up for a group activity such as a local dodgeball league or a French class. Other things you might try:. The problem is that depression often causes people to withdraw, which only further exacerbates feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Even when you don't feel like going out or being social, try reaching out in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
For those who have difficulty with self-compassion or healthy engagement, you can find self-compassion exercises on Kristin D. Mindfulness Based Stress reduction courses are also available throughout Utah.
Doing moderate exercise about five times a week 30 minutes a pop can dramatically help your mood. Moderate exercise is a level of activity where it is difficult to sing from your diaphragm while doing it. Remember the virtue of moderation. Interact frequently with others that bring you up not people that bring you down. Keep a balance with not too little and not too much sleep. Staying up late one night and then sleeping in excessively the next day is a sure-fire way to feed depression.
Crisis Text Line. Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 24 hospitals includes "virtual" hospital , a Medical Group with more than 2, physicians and advanced practice clinicians at about clinics, a health plans division called SelectHealth, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in clinical quality improvement and efficient healthcare delivery.
Guided imagery is a form of meditation in which you envision a goal in as much detail as you can. This technique uses the power of positive thinking to help attain something specific, like happiness. Music therapy has been used to help improve the moods of people with depression.
Sometimes it involves listening to music that promotes relaxation and positivity. Other times, it involves singing as a form of therapy. One study showed that both of these therapy types could help decrease stress and improve mood. American physicians are more divided about its usefulness. But it may benefit people with mild-to-moderate forms.
To be safe, always consult your doctor before taking it. S-adenosyl-L-methionine SAM-e is a chemical that occurs in the body naturally. SAM-e pills are sold as a dietary supplement. However, people with bipolar disorder or manic depression should not take SAM-e because it may cause mood swings and mania. It works by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.
Serotonin is associated with mood, sleep, and other functions. Some studies suggest that 5-HTP may be effective in treating depression, but taking 5-HTP at high doses or for long periods could be dangerous.
In the past, contaminants have caused some 5-HTP users to develop a sometimes-fatal blood condition. More studies need to be done to determine if 5-HTP can be effective in treating depression. Areas of the South Pacific, including Hawaii, have used kava for stress release, mood elevation, and other calming effects.
In fact, its relaxing effects have been likened to benzodiazepines.
0コメント