Cutting Depression in Half?
People, both experts and the average Joe, often say various lifestyle choices make an impact on mood. Tips exist everywhere to try and cheer people up. Ask anyone their strategy for mood improvement and you may encounter similar advice across the board.
“Get outside and touch the grass!”
“Dance to some upbeat tunes!”
“Eat less junk food!”
Articles and friends alike are ready to put their two cents in about how to brighten one’s day and keep the depression away.
Well, now there is one more scientific study to back them up. Brand new research showed that an overall healthy lifestyle makes one less likely to develop depression. Out of seven factors, people who adhered to at least five of them experienced a reduction by 57% of the likelihood for depression.
These factors bring us back once again to the hallmarks of a balanced, healthy life. Sleeping, eating nutritious foods, exercise, social life - all are addressed in this recent study.
In severe cases of depression, there are various therapies and medications that can be administered to a sufferer. But as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Some may benefit from adding well-informed self-care measures into their daily lifestyle.
Here are tips based on Dr. Bregman’s experience along with information gleaned from the recent study:
- Sleep hygiene - Good sleep is important for our mental health, reducing stress and allowing the brain to process the day’s events. Sleep seems passive, but it’s a process for your body to recover. Sleep at the same time, get up at the same time to help your body build a rhythm. Make sure to get REM sleep which is where dreams occur. Drugs and alcohol can have a damaging effect on our REM sleep.
- Exercise - Exercise is good for muscles but also for the brain. Activity and improved mood have been linked for some time in the mental health literature. Getting into a habit will keep our moods and bodies both in top shape for years to come.
- Nutritious diet - Try to decrease processed junk food and instead replace snacks and side items with fruits, vegetables, other choices that nourish the body because as the body benefits, the mind will also.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking - Over-drinking robs us of mental health. The highs of drinking are short-lived and can cause more problems that weren’t there before. Smoking, too, is a damaging bad habit which causes cancer and various physical maladies which transition into poorer mental health.
- Less screen time - Some people say sitting is the new smoking. This is an effect from too much screen time that is damaging to our body and mind. Another troubling aspect is the depressing and anxiety-provoking things on the screen. Getting away from the screen and doing physical activities can be a huge positive change in some people’s mental health.
- Foster social connections - Humans are social beings, and we need to make time for friends and family. Reaching out for support when times are hard, and enjoying one another when times are good, are important parts of a balanced life.
When depression is severe, reaching out for help from a mental health professional is always recommended.
For further discussion about this topic you can tune in to our podcast “The Breakdown with Dr. B” available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other streaming sites as well as our website www.bregmanmedicalgroup.com
Bregman Medical Group has decades of experience treating depression and many other issues/disorders. We offer online psychiatry and therapy with treatment available right on your device at home! Simply schedule at www.bregmanmedicalgroup.com or call 305-740-3340.
References:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-023-00120-1.epdf
https://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/slideshow-easy-habits-improve-mental-health