10 Cheap Tips To Reduce Depression

10 tips to reduce depression

Depression can be crippling, devastating. It can cause a person to withdraw from everyone he loves and stop doing activities that he once enjoyed. It can cause a deep despair and social isolation that is overwhelming. Victims of depression encounter memory problems, sleep disruption or a need to sleep excessively, a sense of hopelessness and an inability to join the rest of the world. Depression afflicts an estimated 19 million Americans, and they cant just snap out of it.

There are ways to ease some symptoms of depression, but sometimes medication therapy is necessary for the patient to fully enjoy a symptom-free life. However, there are some tips you can try if you have the blues.

1. Speak with Someone

A therapist or counselor can help you tremendously with sorting out issues and making sense of things in your life. If you are not comfortable with a counselor, talk to a close friend or keep a journal. Sometimes just talking about things can make you feel better. Then, go talk with a friend who can help you laugh. Laughing is great for anyone.

2. Start an Exercise Program

Some daily exercise can really boost your mood and energy. Aerobic exercise will raise your heart rate, boost your metabolism, and allow the body to naturally release mood enhancing endorphins.

3. Eat Fresh Foods

Start a garden. Raise some chickens (for the eggs). Buy organic products? Eat plenty of fiber (fruits and vegetables) in order to cleanse your body from toxins and preservatives and junk from processed foods. Make sure that you consume colorful fruits and vegetables. When you are healthy, you feel more vibrant and full of energy!

4. Avoid Sugar

If your depression is connected with anxiety, you will no doubt try to eat way too much sugar. This is the worse thing that you could do. Why? Because sugar can actually increase your anxiety. Unlike glyconutrients sugars, regular table sugar will make you even more tired after the sugar high, not to mention the other health detriments related to sugar and tooth decay and the immune system.

5. Cut Caffeine

Caffeine brings you up - then drops you like a rock. It can increase your anxiety and distress and contribute to your depression as well. Drink more water, sodas and even fruit drinks have sugar and preservatives that can drag you down and make you feel worse.

6. Avoid nicotine

Nicotine is a stimulant so it will help me when I am depressed, right? No. It acts in the body much like caffeine. It can make you feel better for a short while, but in the long run, will only increase your depression. The stimulant in nicotine can increase your anxiety. Long term smoking will cause more upper respiratory health conditions and more free radicals in the body, causing the immune system to be weak, allowing for feelings of depression. Some people also feel depressed because they cannot quit smoking.

7. Meditation Helps

Meditation can do wonders for alieving feelings of depression. There are various forms of meditation from conscious breathing to guided meditation to creative imagery. Find a form that works for you and practice. The focus and peace does wonders for a troubled spirit.

8. Sleep

You don't want to get too much sleep, but having a sleep deficiency can also bring on anxiety. Try to get about 8 hours of good sleep every night.

9. Use More Light

Turn on the lights, dont sit in the dark. The more light you bring into a room, natural light is best if possible, the better chances you have of raising your mood. Sitting in the dark will only contribute to your depression.

10. Adopt a Goat

Companion animals provide great help to anyone suffering from depression. Studies have shown that by just stroking an animal can lower your blood pressure and calm you. So go visit your local humane society or pet store. Don't have space for a goat or a horse? Maybe a dog, cat, ferret, gerbil, hamster, goldfish, or even a hermit crab?

Article Source: http://publisherscloninghouse.com

Spencer Hunt is a wellness consultant who has used glyconutrients to help people with Hepatitis, Lyme Disease, Scleroderma, or to just have more energy www.ifoundhealth.com.

Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5  Not yet Rated

Click this Icon to Receive Nutrition Articles Via RSS!