Depression… While more people are getting aware of it, it is still a controversial topic to some. You’ll hear people – the majority of people, quickly jumping into recommending pills or antidepressants quickly – despite being “not” too knowledgeable about depression itself (signs, symptoms, diagnosis, etc.)
PILLS TREATMENT
Over the last decades, the treatment rate with pills for depression has increased for many good reasons – but also, a bit for bad.
When today’s antidepressants hit the market, it was a revolution compared to the old pill available.
The old ones had massive side effects. You were kind of sent into a zero land where all emotions were gone – you became like a ghost, and they were heart toxic – meaning it was easy to intoxicate yourself with the end result of death.
I KNOW THIS, MEDICALLY, AND FROM EXPERIENCE…
I know from personal experience that my brother repeatedly was taken to heart intensive care.
TODAY’S ANTIDEPRESSANTS
The new version of antidepressants, however, did not have those tough side effects. They are not toxic, so it is hard to kill yourself with them and that is a plus in depression treatment!
SIDE EFFECTS OF TODAY’S PILLS
Some people feel like they get into a bubble eating them, while some have a negative effect on your libido, and they usually take a couple of weeks before they start to make a difference.
Many patients have great help from them – the deeper the depression was to start with, the better the effect. Still, they aren’t for everyone and there is no way other than to test them out to see whom they do work for.
A TREATMENT THAT OUTCLASSES THE PILLS.
Yes, with today’s knowledge, there is one treatment that far out outclasses the pills!
Physical activity has come up as the #1 best medicine for depression – all mild depression but also for moderate depression.
But you’d notice that it is not often used as a treatment in traditional medicine. I wonder why…
WHAT DEPRESSION IS
Depression is often a result of stress and anxiety. We have used daily walks as a treatment for stress for a long time – so this is just the far end of stress treatment.
The effect was good both for healthy individuals and for people diagnosed with disorders that can cause anxiety or lead to depression.
THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical activity releases dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin which all are feel-good hormones.
It is a superpower for turning us into a good mood!
The side effects of physical activity are also mostly good effects on other processes in our bodies, like weight, energy levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, muscle- and joint pain, and much more.
But despite all these facts…
Physical activity has not been the first choice of treatment in health care.
I think that is a pity because of all the good we know AND it is for free, you can do it anytime it suits you.
You can also take power walks with your friends and make it a win-win with a good conversation together. Also Yoga, Pilates, and alike have the same effects!
I AM NOT SAYING PILLS ARE USELESS They absolutely are useful and helpful, especially in cases of severe depression. If possible, combine pills and physical activity together for increased effect.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION
Stress is our emotional and physical response to stressors like unexpected changes or events, and other situations. It raises our blood pressure and heart rate as our body feels the emotional strain and pressure. It’s a reaction to a current trigger.
Anxiety, on the other hand, is when we feel uneasy due to constant worries, especially about the things that have not happened yet – which may or may not happen at all. It is how we dread certain events from happening (or not happening) and may have similar symptoms to stress, but due to different causes.
Stress and Anxiety when both left untreated… may lead to depression, which then constantly affects your mood negatively.
IN ADDITION TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY…
Physical activity is just one of the many options available as a natural treatment for stress, anxiety, and depression.
Other things that you can practice include being mindful, getting a good amount of sleep, establishing healthy habits, healthy lifestyle, and healthy food choices.
Combining them all together will help you not fall to the growing number of people experiencing depression.
And in case you get lazy…
It’s normal – as not everybody has the energy to move around their bodies – but it is necessary not just for mental health, but also for your health in general.
MAKE IT FUN
It doesn’t have to be exhilarating, as you can choose activities you know you will enjoy. Ride a bike, or learn a new sport – whatever suits you – just remember to always make it fun for it to be enjoyable, and so that you won’t dread doing it and instead LOOK FORWARD to doing it! 🙂
You know how when it comes to success and other things, most people say it’s all about the mindset? It works the same with stress management. Mindset can also be key.
And while sometimes it seems that you have nothing else to do about the amount of stress you experience – regardless of its source, there actually are a ton of steps you can take to help you regain control of your emotions.
But first…
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO MANAGE STRESS?
It might not seem like it or maybe it just doesn’t cross your mind… but constantly living with a high amount of stress level puts you and your well-being at risk by jeopardizing both emotional and sometimes, even physical health too.
Stress is annoying, it makes you feel like you’re out of control – and you feel like there’s an endless to-do list and there’s not enough time – plus the fact that you’re distracted due to the stress that you’re feeling… it’s all becoming a blur.
You make more mistakes or you keep re-doing things because you have less focus, you make bad or unthought-out decisions, or you feel like you just can’t function at all.
BUT YOU HAVE CONTROL, YOU JUST HAVE TO LEARN HOW
Yes, you can regain control – you always have it within you. You just have to learn how to tap on it whenever you need to.
It is in how you reframe your MINDSET, and before you think of anything I just want to say – I understand if you mistrust me here but hear me out first.
STRESS MANAGEMENT KICKS IN…
Helping you get out of that negative spiral and find a positive spiral. Where your ultimate goal may be to get a balanced life, get enough time for your work and family, and have fun things – all of it. And you will be more resilient to hurdles along the way.
And, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER…
There is no one-size-fits-all solution in this so you have to figure out what YOU need.
Here are a few tips and tricks to choose froM
1. Identifying what stresses you out – in your life.
When you know your stress triggers, it will be easier to avoid them, or even address them once you’re ready.
2. Having and keeping a stress diary at hand.
A great way to start is to make a stress diary. When writing things down, they become clearer in our minds. We can look at the whole picture and compare and re-organize until we feel – this is how it is!
A stress diary can be made with a structure where you in boxes write about situations – feelings around the situations – how you have tried to solve them before – and the result.
3. Being true to yourself.
The most important thing when identifying and reflecting on your emotions is to always keep it real by being true to yourself, and a way to do that is to accept your feelings and approach them from a third-party perspective by trying to separate emotions from decisions, so you can think rationally and without bias caused by emotions.
Getting those out of your way can make a world of difference.
4. Identifying what helps in making you feel better.
When you have identified your stressors and have noticed you started to feel better, immediately try to track or figure out what helped in making you feel better. Having this at hand can really change too much before you start dwelling on more negative thinking.
ALWAYS REMEMBER, THOUGH...
Stress is an automatic response in our systems – and these responses come whether we want them or not.
Sometimes, or most of the time, they come at the most unexpected times so knowing how to deal with them is really needed.
In addition to the above…
Here are 4 actions you can take when a stressor comes:
1. Avoid & Learn to Say No
This is good to do when we talk about toxic people.
On the other hand, it is not advisable to avoid things that need to be addressed because then they will become limiting beliefs in you. So it’s still crucial to know which are to be avoided and which are to be solved, and to do that, reflect on the pros and cons.
2. Alter was the second word
Finding ways to alter your behavior and actions can help you move on. Compromise, and who knows, maybe you can find new ways or some other way to make things work better.
3. Adapt.
If you can’t change the situation you have to change yourself to get a new result. Look at the bigger picture and identify what is important or what needs to be changed vs. what needs to be accepted and adjusted.
4. Accept
Acceptance is one of our prime stress management tools. If you can’t change things, you just need to accept and that is how it is – accepting that you can do nothing about that fact except you can change your mind about it and find other ways.
TAKE A BREAK, PAUSE & BREATHE
When things are hard, go back to the basics… which is to take a break so you can pause, relax and breathe.
Look and focus on the good things and find ways to grow. When you’re refreshed, you’ll find it easier to think.
FORGIVE…
Forgive – yourself and others.
Always keep in mind that in this life and even in the next, everyone makes mistakes and some of those mistakes may affect us. Try to free yourself from that negative energy and move on, as it is not worth it to go down that pit hole…
TRY SAYING YOUR FEELINGS OUT LOUD
Put words on your feelings, as saying them out loud can help make you feel so much better than just letting the thoughts stay in your mind.
Talk to friends you trust – or with a therapist if you feel it is too personal to share with your tribe.
Another great help if stress creeps up on you…
is to start MOVING YOUR BODY.
Moving eats stress hormones as the stress hormones are then used as energy.
At the same time, moving creates energy that enlightens your brain toward positivity. With that, comes clearer thinking because of the gift we got then back 200,000 years ago.
SMILING HELPS
Smiling helps as it gives you the “feel-good” hormones. It is contagious and can make people feel good too when they see you smile — and because of the mirror neuron theory… It creates a ripple effect.
DON’T LOSE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR.
Laugh if you can and when you can, even if that means laughing at yourself, and lastly…
TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR HEALTH
Because our mind, body, and souls remain connected inside us.
And as you notice…
I always come back to the mindset over and over again…
“Sleep is for the week”, “Who needs sleep when you have coffee”, “I have many things to do, 5-6 hours of sleep is enough for me”– let’s stop patronizing these ideas, they’re not good for our bodies and never good for our health.
But how many hours of sleep do our bodies really need?
HOURS OF SLEEP PER AGE
0-3 months: up to 18 hours
4-11 months: 12-15 hours
1-2 years old: 11-14 hours
3-5 years old: 10-13 hours
6-13 years old: 9-11 hours
14-17 years old: 8-10 hours
18-25 years old: 7-9 hours
26-64 years old: 7-9 hours
65+ years old: 7-8 hours
The above is a guide or a framework we can use as a guide to how many hours of sleep we need according to our age.
But, it’s important to remember that like in everything else, when it comes to sleep…
THERE IS ALSO NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION
But how is that, if the sleep hours are clearly stated?
My explanation here would be simple. Our everyday life doesn’t look the same, so one person might be needing to do too many strenuous activities, forcing the body to need MORE rest than normal – you get the point.
So…
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP?
Well, it’s time you reflect and ask yourself every time – or have a journal or some sleep tracker. When you wake up and you feel good, track how many hours of sleep you had, and when you wake up feeling tired… also track how many hours of sleep you had.
Recognize your own body’s pattern and listen to what it’s telling you. If you feel tired every day even after sleeping 7 hours, then maybe your body needs 8. And if you feel good and energized, then try practicing sleeping that right amount.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER…
We have to complete all 3 stages of sleep in one night: Light, wherein our eyes are closed but still too easily to be woken up, REM, which happens after about 90 minutes of falling asleep, where our eyes still move (rapid eye movement) while closed and where most dreams occur, and Deep sleep, where our brain waves have slowed down and it’s harder to wake us up.
And yes just in case you’re wondering, it’s also normal to wake up several times during the night. Just don’t do anything that can disrupt your melatonin like checking your phone or something to not make it hard for yourself to get back to sleep.
THE RISK OF SLEEPING LESS & SLEEPING MORE
Studies show that sleeping less than 6 hours a day increases the risk of Alzheimer’s, heart & blood vessel illnesses, and some kinds of cancer, and obesity for the younger ones.
On the other hand, sleeping more than 9 hours increases the risk of some types of cancer too. Which means… The safest thing to say is at about 7-8 hours of sleep every day, to have the lowest risk of getting these illnesses.
IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SLEEP
Aside from being on the safer side of all illnesses… sleep has so many positive effects so we must keep up with our brains, their functions, and their processes.
Scientists have also shown before that when we sleep, some kind of cleaning process happens in our body, like getting the “waste” products out of our body.
TO SUM IT UP
Wrapping it up, and feeling what works for your body’s needs while sticking to the framework as a guide… is our safest bet to getting the right amount of sleep our body needs.
It’s not every day we get a good night’s sleep… sometimes even after sleeping a complete 8 hours, we wake up feeling bad. So, how do we make sure we get a good night’s sleep?
HAVING A BEDTIME RITUAL
“Okay, time to go to sleep!”
Here’s a question for you, sleepy head…
Do you usually prepare before bedtime or do you just rush into bed, close your eyes and wait for the sandman to come?
If you say rushing… Science shows that for most people the best is to prepare for sleep by winding down, at least by making that last hour different from your rushed everyday time.
So yes, a bedtime ritual…
THE WRONG WAY…
Many people, many, many people watch TV right before bed, thinking it’s their way of “winding down”…
Well, kudos for at least recognizing the need to wind down. However, If this is you, I also feel the need to tell you that studies show that turning the tv on before bedtime disrupts sleep cycles as anything that stimulates the brain before bed may be detrimental to one’s ability to fall asleep.
If that works for you with no issues at all, great! But for those who don’t…
HERE ARE A FEW GUIDELINES TO STICK TO
Take an hour before going to wind down and make it a ritual – the same every evening so that your brain will eventually recognize it as a signal to bedtime.
SOME GOOD THINGS TO TRY
Taking a quick hot shower
Taking a hot shower hours before bed helps in reducing our inner body’s temperature, which helps in making us fall asleep at night. We can also put on some thick socks and get our hands warm, then just relax in a dimmed-lit room after showering.
Avoiding too much movement
No hard exercise before bedtime, or anything that can stimulate happy hormones. That won’t make us feel sleepy, right?
Instead of going for the hard workout, opt for soft yoga and stretching, to feel relaxed in preparation for bedtime.
Diving into your book before sleep helps you feel relaxed – as long as you don’t choose exciting, or hardcore thriller books that will give you the opposite effect.
Playing some mellow music
There is no question about music’s magic, ever. Choosing the right music does wonders, all the time – even if it’s for getting sleepy.
Those are the good things I personally can recommend, and in case you’re wondering where the alcohol goes in the list…
We’re talking about getting a good night’s sleep – not getting the “sleepy” feeling because yes, the right amount of alcohol can make you sleepy, but it doesn’t give you a good restorative sleep.
So if you want a good resting sleep, avoid alcohol just as you would avoid screen as it suppresses our sleep hormones melatonin.
So to answer your question, yes – choose the soft, boring, relaxing activities to wind down and wake up feeling refreshed the day after.
That mindful eating actually help you decrease your stress levels?
YES! There are best eating habits out there for less stress.
STICK WITH A REGULAR EATING HABIT
We need to stick with what’s right for our bodies, which is what our bodies are looking for or have adapted biologically from our late ancestors.
And what exactly is that?
Some trivia… During the Savannah, our ancestors don’t eat at night and had to eat during the day because of survival reasons – so at night, they sleep.
Slowly, our bodies have evolved so that we eat even at night, but not to the extent that we eat MANY, and LATE at night.
THE 3:1 MODEL
3 main meals a day (breakfast, lunch, supper), and one snack!
Following the 3:1 model is healthy and helps our system. As a Doctor, this is not really strict but advised to be followed. In fact, you can snack more than 1 time, as long as you keep your snacks healthy (fruits, oats), and not the known energy boosters that in reality hijack energy (chocolates, sugar)!
Feel free to have nuts too, they’re good for protein intake! So really, a little bit of everything as long as you chunk on some really good food and not junk.
In Sweden, we use…
The plate model – or basically means that we fill out plates by percentage: 25% protein, 37% carbs, and 37% vegetables.
But that doesn’t work for everybody.
Some people prefer to get a higher protein intake than carbohydrates and I totally get it, so yes, feel free to play with the percentage (as long as it’s not all carbs), and find whatever works for you! Just make sure to include variety. 😉
And oh, skip the processed foods with too many chemicals and add-ons – they trigger our immune system and can give us low-grade inflammation. Bet we wouldn’t want that, right?
REMEMBER THE 12-HOUR RULE
The 12-hour rule in eating means that you must eat your last meal of the day 12 hours before you plan to eat your first meal for the next day. Say dinner at 6 PM, then breakfast at 6 AM – so when you eat your dinner at 6 PM, that means nothing more else in the evening after that.
This 12-hour technique helps us to maintain a healthy digestion and bowel system.
AND YES, IT’S OKAY…
It’s okay to mess up with the schedule sometimes. That won’t hurt you. What’s important is as long as this is what you’d do MOST TIMES.
WHAT IF YOU WORK AT NIGHT?
I know this is close to impossible to apply to those who work at night because being awake at night means you have to eat at night too.
Just apply the same rules -> 12 hours before meals, eat a variety, and have proper rest too!
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