If you have depression, getting through the day can be a struggle. But the good news is, no matter what depressive symptoms you’re struggling with, there are daily habits you can implement that can significantly help face day-to-day challenges.
Along with feeling sad or hopeless, many people with depression often experience a loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed – difficulty concentrating or decreased energy, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
“The symptoms of depression culminate to specifically make getting through the day feel like an uphill battle,” says Maggie Holland , a licensed mental health counsellor in Puyallup, Washington. “Just getting out of bed can feel like you’re running a marathon if you have depression.”
Some other symptoms of depression, as outlined by the Mayo Clinic, that can make it harder to face the day include fatigue, unexplained physical problems like back pain, irritability, sleep issues, and slowed thinking or body movements. So below are suggestions you might that might help:
Stick to Your Treatment
If you’re going to psychotherapy, taking medication for your depression – or both – don’t skip any sessions or doses, even if you’re feeling better, say the Mayo Clinic. Doing so can cause your depressive symptoms to return. Missing doses of antidepressants or stopping them abruptly can also result in withdrawal symptoms.
Get Moving
If you’re experiencing fatigue or low mood, exercise may sound draining. But moving your body can help you feel better if you’re dealing with depression.
An overview of 97 systematic reviews, published in February 2023 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that exercise not only eases symptoms of depression and anxiety, but should be a “mainstay approach” in managing these conditions.
The findings suggested that while all kinds of physical activity were beneficial, moderate and high-intensity exercise had the most significant benefits.
Current guidelines state that adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise and two days of muscle-strengthening exercise each week. That could be broken down into 30 minutes a day, five days a week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If that sounds like too much at first, try starting small. “Getting active for 30 minutes a day is the maintenance goal, but you can absolutely start with a 10-minute walk, and later you can break it up throughout the day if you need to,” says Holland.
Fuel Your Body With Nutritious Food
The food you eat could help or hurt your mood. A review published in October 2019 in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that regularly consuming anti-inflammatory foods such as fruit, green leafy vegetables, olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish (per Harvard Medical School) may lower your risk of depressive symptoms. Conversely, a diet high in pro-inflammatory foods such as refined carbs, fried foods, red meats, and margarine could raise your risk for depressive symptoms, the same study showed.
“Sugar also acts on neuroreceptors and can provide a temporary feeling that can feel like a happy boost but will quickly result in what is commonly called a ‘sugar crash,’ and the low feelings will return,” says Jeannette Lorandini, LCSW, a therapist, Director and Founder of Suffolk DBT in New York. “A diet that regulates blood sugar [such as an anti-inflammatory diet] will also regulate mood.”
On the flip side, consuming a diet high in added sugars and refined carbs is linked to blood sugar changes that, in turn, can lead to mood disturbances, according to the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Stick to a Consistent Sleep Routine
Getting the right amount of sleep each night is one of the best ways to consistently set yourself up for a successful day. Not getting enough shut-eye leaves you with less energy to face each day, which can be especially problematic for people with depression who struggle with low energy and fatigue. Too much sleep can also make you feel sluggish and worsen depressive symptoms, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Holland’s recommendation: “Aim for seven to nine hours [each night] to build healthy sleep-related habits.” Some strategies for creating healthy sleep habits, according to the Sleep Foundation, include:
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Having a consistent sleep schedule often means better sleep.
- Turn off screens about one to two hours before bedtime.
- Expose yourself to 30 minutes of natural light early in the day. This can help regulate your circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock) and make it easier to sleep at night.
- Make sure your room is dark and set to a temperature of 65 to 68 degrees F when you go to sleep. Exposure to light or temperatures that are too hot or too cold can make it harder to sleep.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bedtime, as these substances can make it harder to fall asleep or stay asleep.
- Limit naps to 20 minutes early in the afternoon. A nap that’s any longer or later than this can make you feel less tired at night and make it harder to fall asleep when you go to bed.
You should also let your doctor know if you’re having sleep problems. Sleep disorders like insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep) are very common among people with depression, according to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Your doctor can determine if you might need professional treatment for your sleep issues.
Make Time for People You Care About
If you’re having a hard day, try reaching out to a loved one for support. “It’s really important to stay connected with family and friends that support you,” explains Holland. “They can help encourage you to continue strategies that will make you feel better and help you maintain a healthy and realistic perspective.”
A study published in September 2020 in the journal Psychiatry Research found the risk of depressive symptoms was 63 percent lower in people with more social support compared with those who had low social support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Greater social support was also linked to a 52 percent lower risk of sleep problems a common symptom of depression.
You could also benefit from joining a support group. A small study published in March 2022 in Health and Social Care in the Community showed that peer mental health support groups were beneficial for men experiencing mental distress and social isolation, partly because participants had a shared understanding of each other’s experiences.
Practise Healthy Self-Talk
Lorandini says that therapists who practice Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), a type of therapy that helps an individual manage emotional sensitivities and facilitate behavioural change, often promote a concept called “radical acceptance.” This is accomplished when a person validates their feelings in a healthy way.
DBT involves accepting the reality of one’s situation without judgement or resistance, no matter how unpleasant.
“It’s rooted in the belief that suffering is not caused directly by emotion but by attachment to the expectations of the emotion, attitude, or behaviour,” she says.
One way people with depression might validate (or invalidate) their feelings is via self-talk – the stream of unspoken thoughts running through your head (Mayo Clinic). Self-talk can be healthy or unhealthy, Lorandini says. She gives two different examples:
Unhealthy self-talk: “I am worthless, and I expect no one to care about me.”
Healthy self-talk: “I accept that I’m feeling low right now, and I expect that this will pass.”
Some ways to practice healthier self-talk, according to the Mayo Clinic are:
- Avoid saying anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to a loved one.
- Speak to yourself gently and encouragingly.
- Respond to negative thoughts that enter your mind with thoughts of what’s good about yourself.
- Think about the things in your life that you’re grateful for – a practice called gratitude.
Keep a Diary Card or a Journal
Filling out diary cards or writing in a journal on good days and hard days could be beneficial for people with depression.
A diary card is a tool that helps you rate your emotions, track your behaviour, and record the skills you utilise, which can help you see patterns in your emotions and behaviour over time, according to DBTselfhelp.com. A diary card can come in various forms, including charts you fill out or apps you use on your phone.
Lorandini suggests keeping a daily diary card to identify any negative or potentially harmful emotions or patterns, like anger, shame, or suicidal thoughts. It can help to share your card with your therapist and work on developing skills to help you manage difficult emotions during challenging times, she adds.
Journaling – writing your thoughts down on paper – is another way to manage depressive symptoms, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Journaling can also help you track your symptoms, pinpoint your triggers, and find helpful ways to deal with them.
Go at Your Own Pace
Remember that your experience with depression, and the impact it has on your life, likely differs from someone else’s experience with this condition. Do what you can each day, focus on getting your most important tasks done, and try not to get discouraged if you have a bad day or get less done than you planned.
“The important thing to know about depression, is that to get through your day, the things that will help you the most, are often the things you feel are the most difficult to do,” says Holland.
“Make sure to get your supporters cheering you on and give yourself permission to do things at your pace – but still do them.”
SOURCE: Everyday Health
