Depression is a horrific experience that affects about 6.7 percent of the United States or about 15 million adults 18 and older in a given year. Many people do not like the idea of using medication or therapy to help them with this disease. Reasons vary as to why individuals do not turn to these two options; everyone has the right to make these decisions on their own. Unfortunately dealing with this disease on your own can be very difficult, but there are many ways to fight back. Natural depression treatments include changing your way of thinking, lifestyle, and physical activity. Here are six natural tips to help you start feeling better today!
1. Have a Routine
Depression without a schedule can make your days start to melt into one another. You may begin to take multiple naps and become very unproductive. Make a daily schedule for yourself to get you back on track and make sure you stick to it. Write down your schedule before you go to bed so you have tasks to look forward to for the following day.
2. Set Goals
When suffering from depression people typically feel as though they can’t accomplish anything, or they are failing at everything they attempt to accomplish. Start setting daily goals for yourself that are achievable, starting small is the best way to begin, such as making your bed every morning. Once you start to feel a little better you can start setting harder daily goals for yourself.
3. Eat Healthy
Diets do not fix depression but it is good to monitor what you are eating as it is common to overeat and under eat while depressed. Try meal prepping for the week so you have the right nutritious foods on hand and a consistent healthy diet for yourself.
4. Exercise
Endorphins are released when you workout, these are chemicals that make you feel good. Consistently working out can have long-term benefits such as encouraging your brain to rewire itself in positive ways. This doesn’t mean you need to start running ten miles a day, start small by incorporating a few walks around the neighborhood a few times a week.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Depression can make you sleep too much as well as not allow you to get enough sleep, you may be tossing and turning at night which will wake you up and make you feel drowsy the next day. Start to get up and go to bed at the same time every day and refrain from taking mid day naps. Before going to bed do not scroll through your phone or check your emails on your computer, the light is bad for your eyes and can make you have a worst nights sleep.
6. Challenge Negative Thoughts
A lot of the struggle with depression is mental, and you must fight against your negative thoughts that you have multiple times a day. The next time you think something negative like you have no friends – use your logic as a natural depression treatment. It is probably highly unlikely you have no real friends or your life is going nowhere, and in time you can beat these negative thoughts out of your mind before they get out of control.
Everything in life involves work, but when reaching for a goal or making the most of your day is accompanied with depression everything starts to feel impossible. Remember that incorporating fun into your week involves work and planning. Start to enjoy life again by relearning how to do it, and making an effort to plan things you used to enjoy.
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