Did you know that 300 million people around the world have depression? Many people choose to treat their depression with antidepressants. However, many of these antidepressant drugs cause dangerous side effects. Some of the most common side effects include suicidal thoughts, frequent headaches, restlessness, and behavioral changes including aggressive behavior or irritability. Thankfully, there are many natural remedies for depression that you can turn to that do not have harmful side effects.
Let’s start with the basics. A well balanced diet can provide an essential boost to your mood and lower your risk for depression. In your diet, focus on fruits, veggies, and high-quality proteins. Also, healthy bacteria is a must. You can find probiotics in yogurts, fermented foods and kombucha.
Exercise outperforms antidepressants in many studies about long-term depression. The studies suggest that no one exercise is better than the other. The key is to get your body moving and build up your muscles. The act of having a routine and setting goals can also help you overcome your depression.
A strong support group is another great benefit when it comes to combating depression. You could seek professional help, or reconnect with family and friends. It is important to have someone that you can talk to about your day by day feelings and emotions to help prevent any negative thoughts from getting out of control. It may surprise you how much talking about what is bothering you can help improve your mood. Friends and family can also help you feel connected and loved, which can decrease those negative feelings of isolation and sadness.
Lastly, decreasing your stress can be a key step in decreasing your depression. Sometimes, stress in small amounts is good for you. It can help you stay alert and motivated. This stress is referred to as eustress. However, when stress is found in large quantities, or when it persists long-term, it can be a major cause of depression.
Chronic stress in particular leads to elevated hormones and a reduction of serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are important for regulating sleep, appetite, energy, and moods. When your stress response fails to shut down, the high levels of these chemicals can lead to depression.
Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life, and hard to avoid. But you can seek out ways to help reduce stress and bring your brain’s chemicals back into balance. Taking some time to relax each day can be highly beneficial in reducing stress-levels. If you want to schedule some quality relaxation time, give us a call! Here at The Salt Suite®, you can relax with music or a nice book in our salt rooms. Our salt-covered walls will help you clear your sinuses and breath easy.
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