15 Simple Ways You Can Improve Symptoms of Depression
If you’ve ever suffered from depression, then you’ll know just how debilitating it can be.
In this guide, I’m going to give you 15 simple tips you can try to improve the quality of your life.
1. Improve your sleep schedule- No easy feat to begin with, but a healthy night’s sleep, preferably 7–8 hours per night can ensure you are focused and energised for the next day. To achieve this, try limiting screen time and caffeine at least 3 hours before bedtime.
2. Breakfast- You don’t need to be making a full English or anything, even a bowl of cereal or a breakfast bar is a great start to maintaining a healthy routine at the start of your day.
3. Make your bed and brush your teeth- Ok I know that’s two things, but these two quick jobs will be the foundation of your new life, hygiene, and tidiness, plus it’s extra nice when you get into an already made bed later that day.
4. Self-care routine- This can range from a simple shower and hair wash to a whole 5-step face care routine. A fresh face can make all the difference in how you feel.
5. Tidying and organising- Tidy up and organise your living area. Start small, like neatly folding and stacking towels in the bathroom, or sort the hanging clothes in your wardrobe. When the house is in order, your thoughts will follow.
6. Go outside- Don’t succumb to the temptation to stay home and marinate in the gloom. Especially if you can get out into nature. There is a lot of research to back this up.
7. Exercise- Make sure to get some exercise every day. You don’t need to go to the gym or jog a mile, just take a walk for 20 minutes or do some stretching and yoga for 10–15 minutes. Even light exercise like walking releases an important hormone called endorphins, and that will make you feel good.
8. Diet- A healthy nutritious diet can be difficult to maintain when you’re suffering from depression. The crux is nutrition will help you feel better. Keep comfort junk food to one meal a day. Eating lots of refined sugar and starch, and heavily salted foods really contributes to feeling bad in body and mind. You don’t have to eat salads and wheat germ all day, just go for eggs and toast rather than burgers or pizza all the time and have yoghurt instead of sugared cereal.
9. Make lists- Only write manageable tasks. Get out of bed. Check. Eat. Check. Watch the game. Check. Go to the corner shop. Check. Just anything you can check off. Checking it off feels good. That’s the goal.
10. Hobbies- Neglecting hobbies is common with depression, Start with more relaxing hobbies, such as colouring, reading, listening to music, or even making Lego sets. These activities can be done at home and are a great way to unwind.
11. Animals- Pets provide the kind of unconditional relationship that can help you build social skills and confidence. They can provide a sense of calm and reassurance if you feel overwhelmed. Research shows that simply petting your dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol. And the social interaction between owner and dog increases levels of the feel-good hormone oxytocin (the same hormone that bonds mothers to babies)
12. Mindfulness- Mindfulness is a good way of paying attention to the present moment, helping us be more aware of our feelings, we’re then able to manage them better. Meditation and yoga are both good ways to achieve this. Meditation increases serotonin in the brain, which is important for regulating mood.
13. Hydration- Get hydrated. A huge amount of the population is walking around dehydrated and it contributes to a ton of issues. Drinking water won’t change your brain chemistry, but being hydrated will certainly make doing things easier. Once you’ve figured out proper hydration, you will feel like you have more energy to do things and your body shouldn’t have nearly the number of aches and pains. It can also help you from eating your feelings and contribute greatly to managing your weight.
14. Vitamins- This is person-specific but vitamins! If you are low in vitamin D and iron it can lead to low energy, bad sleep, and triggers depression. (you can also alternate with a multivitamin and B12) and feel so much better, and it’s incredibly easy.
15. Support groups- Talking about your problems with a group of strangers might sound daunting, but sharing things with others that feel the same as you can be beneficial. You might even make a friend or two. A support system is slightly different, that can be anybody, a friend or family member you can confide in.
Of course, like with any mental health issue, there’s not necessarily a quick fix or immediate cure. If your health professional has prescribed medication make sure to follow the correct dosage instructions and be patient with results, some medications can take up to 3 months before improvement is noticeable.
If you find your symptoms are worsening, please don’t hesitate to contact your local mental health team, crisis team or general practitioner.
