Content regarding mental health is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as professional medical or health advice. Consult a healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding your health. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call 911, your local emergency services, or 988 (the suicide and crisis hotline).
When you’re feeling down or extremely sad, it can be hard to find the motivation to get out of bed and start your day. And if that sadness lingers for at least two weeks, like a cloud you can’t shake off, you may be considered clinically depressed. Unlike a single day of feeling down (which everyone experiences from time to time), depression is a serious mental health condition that affects your mood and how you handle your daily activities.
Although depression can be different for each person, symptoms may include feeling constantly sad, losing interest in activities you usually enjoy, changes in appetite and sleep patterns, and thoughts of suicide.
Whether you are dealing with clinical depression or if you’re going through a difficult time in your life, having tools to help you lift your spirits can improve your overall well-being. Try implementing these expert-suggested strategies to lift your spirits, improve your emotional health, and regain control of your life.
Be active by exercising
Physical activity can release endorphinswhich naturally improves your mood. If you don’t feel like doing intense aerobic exercise, try something as simple as walking around your neighborhood or doing a few yoga poses in your living room. It can help you feel better.
“Even two minutes of brisk walking or running up and down stairs can improve your mood and benefit your physical health,” Dr. Ramaswamy Viswanathanpresident of the American Psychiatric Association, tells Yahoo. Adding a few minutes of physical activity periodically throughout the day is a great way to improve your emotional state.
Additionally, he says that regular moderate-intensity exercise of 30 minutes a day, three to five times a week, can help relieve depression while improving physical health.
This is a well-studied area, with many studies confirming that exercise is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression. “Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, improve your mood, help you relax, and reduce symptoms of mild depression and anxiety,” Mayo Clinic States.
Clear Your Mind with Meditation
Mindfulness meditation and deep breathing exercises can help change your feelings of stress and symptoms of depression and improve your overall mood. Mindfulness practices can also alter neural pathways in the brain associated with depression and anxiety, according to Harvard Medical School.
According to HMS, “the goal of meditation is not to push aside stress or block out negative thoughts, but rather to notice those thoughts and feelings.”
You can find guided meditations on Youtube or use an app like Calm.
Go outside
You should try to get about five minutes or more of bright sunlight in the morning, Viswanathan advises. “It positively influences your circadian rhythm, boosts vitamin D production, and helps you sleep better at night.”
It is also important to spend time in nature or in parks or other green spaces when you have the opportunity to go outside. Studies indicate Exposure to nature and green spaces has been shown to improve mood and decrease feelings of anxiety and depression.
Talk to a friend or relative who makes you happy
Socializing may be the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling down, but Notes from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health that according to studies“People who have strong social connections are happier, healthier, and live longer than those who don’t.”
“Reach out to someone and start a conversation,” Viswanathan said. “Social connections will give you a powerful mood boost.”
Eat a balanced meal
Many people reach for sweets or salty snacks when they’re feeling down or bored, Viswanathan says, but these foods are counterproductive. Instead, you should eat a healthy, balanced diet with a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. “Minimally processed foods are powerful in alleviating depression “In many people,” he said.
He also recommends eating about an ounce of nuts a day, as they “promote brain health, reduce the risk of stroke, and may enhance the effectiveness of other approaches to relieving depression.”
Having had plenty of sleep
When you’re suffering from depression, getting a good night’s sleep can seem impossible. However, lack of sleep can make depression symptoms worse. according to the Sleep FoundationIt’s a vicious cycle, but there are ways to improve your sleep, including exercise and meditation, as mentioned above.
Viswanathan says you should try to go to bed and wake up at a regular time (for example, going to bed at 10 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m.) and try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.
Seek professional help
If you’re having trouble focusing, your best bet might be to seek professional help. Call a doctor who specializes in mental health therapy, or find a therapist online if you’d prefer to talk from the comfort of your own home.
Here are some of our favorite online options:
