By Brittany Cotton
Depression can dramatically impact your daily activities, which often makes it harder to do the things you need to do to improve your mood. While you’ll want to seek professional care if your depression symptoms are severe or last for more than two weeks, it can also help to implement a few simple lifestyle changes to promote greater well-being. Adding these changes to your daily routine can help to reduce your depression symptoms and bring you greater joy.
Spend Time In Nature
Whether you prefer forest bathing or sunbathing doesn’t matter. What does matter is making an effort to spend time in nature where the sunlight, fresh air and beautiful scenery can help to lift your mood. If you live in an urban area, you could try walking in a nearby park or starting a garden of your own to reap the benefits of being surrounded by plant life.
Find Your Preferred Type of Exercise
If the thought of a grueling workout sounds too hard right now, then consider alternative forms of exercise. For instance, you could try a short hike which also gives you a burst of time spent in nature. Or, you could swim a few laps in a pool. Even dancing to your favorite song is a workout when it gets your heart rate up and stimulates your body to release endorphins that help elevate your mood.
Focus On Improving Your Sleep
People often associate depression with spending vast amounts of time in bed. But, the truth is that many people with depression also struggle with insomnia. Being unable to get adequate sleep at night can hurt your mood. Try focusing on cultivating better sleep hygiene. Leaving your electronics in another room while you read a book can help you prepare your mind for sleep. You can also use earplugs, blackout curtains and white noise to eliminate distractions that interfere with your rest.
Use CBD to Promote Greater Wellbeing
CBD is a natural extract that comes from the hemp plant. While it is often associated with the THC that comes from cannabis products, CBD doesn’t have psychoactive properties that interfere with your normal cognitive processes. Instead, CBD has a relaxing effect on the brain that can help to promote better sleep, ease chronic pain and invoke a generally happier emotional state. You can also choose CBD products that come in varying formulas that may contain other cannabinoids such as CBN to generate your desired effect.
Shift Your Focus to Helping Others
Sometimes, living under the cloud of depression can cause you to lose your sense of purpose. Or, you might begin to focus so hard on what is wrong in your life that you overlook the things that are going right. Volunteering your talents to help others is a great way to begin rebuilding your self-esteem. You’ll also find that knowing that others depend on you can make it easier to pull yourself out of bed and get dressed and ready to begin your day. Keep in mind that volunteering doesn’t have to be a dreaded source of work. Instead, look for opportunities that align with your abilities and daily schedule. You can even find online volunteer requests to help you get started when leaving your house feels too hard.
Start Planning a Healthier Diet
Eating unhealthy foods can bog down your body and brain with toxins that make it harder to heal emotionally. When you decide to make this change, remember that even small decisions can add up to better overall eating over time. Try stashing a veggie tray in your fridge to snack on instead of chips. Or, you could focus on reducing your sugar consumption. Eliminating caffeinated beverages can also help you to regulate your mood. If you do end up eating some sweets, then don’t feel bad. Simply go back to eating healthier meals in the days ahead. Over time, you’ll notice your energy levels rising along with your general mood.
Making an effort to reduce your depression symptoms pays off when you can accomplish your daily responsibilities and even find ways to enjoy a few new activities. While you can expect to have some tough days mixed in with the good ones, you’ll find that your depression symptoms will slowly begin to lift when you prioritize your overall well-being.
Brittany Cotton is a writer who focuses on health, wellness, and a variety of other topics. In her free time, you can find her reading, trying new recipes, or playing with her dog.