Can you believe summer is winding down? It won’t be long until the days get shorter. With that for many comes a lowering of mood and depression.
If this is you, dealing with the blues does not mean you have to settle for being depressed the next several months or resort to taking a pill.
While conventional anti-depression drugs provide an effective way of treating depression, it is by no means the single treatment.
There are a host of natural healing methods that are considered safe and effective in improving mood and altering and lifting your mood to help you avoid the blues.
7 Natural Tips To Help Lift Your Mood
1. Exercise
Exercising literally pumps you up because it releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins that interacts with your brain receptors and diminish the perception of pain.
Much like morphine, endorphins suppress pain by triggering a feeling of happiness and a positive outlook. Doing just 30-minutes routine moderate aerobic exercise at least three times a week can be effective in alleviating symptoms of depression.
Those who maintain their exercise routine even after being treated for depression are less likely to return to a depressed state.
2. Eat Healthy
Depression tends to disrupt normal eating habits, pushing those who suffer the symptoms of depression to either overeat or starve themselves.
Taking control of your eating habits does not only keep your body nourished, it also restores a certain sense of control over your life, which also in part relieves your state of depression.
Did you know that up to 90% of your serotonin, the feel good neurotransmitter is produced in your gut? It makes sense then that eating a healthy diet will impact your mood.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as in wild salmon, folate rich foods such as avocado and spinach can help relieve depression by restoring chemical balance in the brain and nervous system.
3. Meditate To Relax
Much of the anxiety, stress and symptoms of depression that you experience can be relieved by giving yourself some time to relax and clear our mind.
Meditation enables deep relaxation by clearing the mind of distracting thoughts and focusing on proper and deep breathing. It alters your state of consciousness.
Meditating on a daily basis is a good anti-depression practice because it helps you to let go of stressful thoughts, focus your attention on the here and now and cultivate an attitude of acceptance and openness, which could also help relieve depression and the negative feelings associated with it.
4. Do Yoga
Although most yoga techniques also involves meditation, yoga promotes an added incentive of exercising the body to improve balance, strength and flexibility while also practicing proper breathing techniques to help clear the mind and focus.
As a whole, yoga works to align the spine, invigorates the nervous system, improves blood circulation, promotes mental clarity, reduces stress and anxiety and promotes relaxation and emotional well-being.
It provides a potent way of alleviating symptoms of depression.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Being in a state of depression can lead to an altered sleeping habit and makes getting enough sleep feel like a tiring battle. Unfortunately, being sleep deprived can heighten your depression and make matters worse.
If you have poor sleeping patterns, try to ensure that you get enough shut-eye when you need it. Try going to bed and getting up a specific time every day to encourage your biological clock to cooperate.
Remove all the stuff that are distracting you from sleeping such as TV, computer or even your mobile phone. Whenever you can, try to also take a nap during the day to relax and feel rejuvenated.
This works for some people, but not everyone. Just know if this works for you or not.
6. Take Anti-Depression Herbal Supplements
If you need extra help with boosting your mood their are some supplements that may help. It is best to get the guidance of a trained health professional before doing.
There may be reasons why you should not take a given supplement as they could interact with other medications or supplements you are taking.
7. Have A Massage
Touch therapy promotes relaxation and uplifts our mind and spirit. Specific massage modalities such as Swedish, Shiatsu and Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi promotes relaxation and healing.
The use of aromatic oils and music that promotes relaxation during massage provides a holistic experience to deal with the blues.
These natural healing remedies for depression work well to complement whatever medication or psychotherapy session you may be undertaking to help you improve your mood, promote emotional healing and come out triumphant in your bout with depression.
A Couple Of Last Tips!
If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), blue light therapy can be an effective addition to your daily life. Keep one at work and one at home. It can help lift your mood.
Make sure your Vitamin D level is adequate. I recommend getting this checked and strive for a Vitamin D level between 50-75.
May your days be sunny and bright!
