End your depressing woes with these 8 tips

Many of us remain far away from a contended life. Be it the stress of urban living, the pressures of a corporate job, or the burden of family responsibility, depression can prove to be a harmful enemy that can rob you of your mental health as well as physical fitness.

Here are some tips on how you can effectively turn that frown upside down and learn to live. 

1. Sleep

Often the best solutions to the gravest of your problems are also the simplest. It has often been told to you that getting an adequate amount of sleep is essential. This brings your mind and body the essential amount of drive to get through the obstacles you face. 

Getting enough rest puts you in a better spot to get out of the predicament you’d find yourself into. Experts suggest that 7-8 hours of sleep should be good enough. 

2. Get Ample Sunlight

In this age of late night sleeping, the sunlight is barely welcomed these days. People are opting to encage themselves behind thick layers of blinds and shut doors and windows, sitting in and wallowing for hours. 

Sometimes you do need to get out there in the sun and add colour to your life. Things look better that way. The Vitamin D from sunlight is another reason why you should welcome the morning rays of sun in your home and your life.

3. Avoid isolation

Things are known to go awry at times. And this is the worst time to go in isolation. Instead, you need to reach out to friends, family, and loved one. Being vocal has benefits. When you share your issues, you are allowing others to pitch in ideas to tackle the problem you are facing.

Bearing it all by yourself is hazardous. If you are not able to deal with the issue at hand, it makes sense asking for a helping hand from a near and dear one. 

4. Acceptance

This is actually one of the first steps in overcoming low mood. Things do go bad. That’s an inevitable part of life and the sooner you accept it, the sooner you will get to terms with it and go looking for the solution. 

The faster you accept it, the sooner you’d be out of the situation you find yourself to be in. Your grief is only as long as you wish for it to be. 

5. Stay in the moment

A considerable amount of your grief is generated due to the anxiety you feel about things. Your anxiety gets the better of you and you end up doing what you never wanted to and then there’s a mountain of guilt and shame. 

Vexing about the future has never done any good. When you feel you are being too caught up worrying about the future, appreciate the present. Focus on the things you have now and the activities you can do now. 

Staying in the ‘now’ grants you a window where action can occur. The past cannot be changed and the future cannot be predicted. The present is all you have - make the most of it with a cheerful demeanour. 

6. Refrain substance abuse

Reaching out to alcohol and drugs to douse your depression only makes things worse. You get trapped in this unending loop of your substance abuse causing you more distress and more distress leading you to substance abuse. 

But cravings can be real. So in order to satiate your urge to consume alcohol, go for juices or appetizers. Sometimes, the brain feels fooled and your urge is diminished all by itself. 

For those of you who smoke, look out for ways to kick your bad habit of smoking. There are various alternatives available nowadays to help you in this mission. Choosing an e-cigarette to quit smoking is proven to be a better alternative to smoking as it gradually helps in overcoming the urge to smoke. 

7. Try Reading

It is usually believed that a good book is worth a thousand pieces of advice. Find that one book you have been wanting to read for a while and get reading. A lot of people agree that reading got them through the situation they find themselves to be in because it managed to take their minds off things. Reading books also give you a different perspective to deal with the issue at hand. 

8. Get professional help

If these steps don’t yield the result you are looking for, you have one more way to elevate your mood. You can consult a shrink and seek out professional assistance. With professional help, you get to know of a better way to deal with your problems. And this can be a great starting point in fighting off your depressive mood and come out of it 

Follow these tips and you can make life more liveable and transcend beyond just depressing survival.