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How are you feeling today?
Do you realize that some days you feel happier than some? The word depression has several meanings ranging from lower in amount or degree to severe despondency and dejection. If something discouraged you today after having a great day yesterday, you could be described as a bit depressed, couldn't you? The truth is that we all experience depression in varying degrees each day. You can be minimally depressed or extremely depressed depending on several factors including circumstances, diet and family history!
The first and most important thing for us to do is to determine is if, and how depressed we are. Start by taking the enclosed online quiz. It will help you to determine how depressed you are and what you can do about it.
The next thing to note is that there are some simple self-help strategies that you can incorporate into your daily routine that will do wonders for your low mood.
Some of them are:
Go outside, get some fresh air and sunshine. Research indicates that regular exposure to sunlight does not just regulate your sleep patterns, but also combats a depressed mood.
And on that note - get some sleep. Sleep deprived persons suffer from various health issues including depression!
Eat properly and eat regularly. Food affects your mood. A diet filled with junk food will negatively affect your health and your mood. Irregular eating patterns rob your brain of the nourishment it needs to functional efficiently, regulating your nervous system and improve moods.
Stop thinking those negative depressing thoughts! You would be shocked if you could read a transcript of all the thoughts you had in a day. You probably thought about all the bad things that keep happening to you, all the flaws that you have and all the people you can't stand! These thoughts would depress anybody! Make a habit of rejecting those thoughts that sneak into your mind and replace them instead with something you are thankful for, someone you admire or love and an event in your life that you are proud of - guaranteed mood lifters!
Get some exercise! Are you looking at yourself in the mirror hating what you see? Then, do something about it! While you're watching your favorite TV show, do some lunges, sit-ups, twists, run on the spot. Before you know it 30 minutes have passed and guess what? Exercise increases the level of serotonin in your blood stream - the feel good hormone!
Now these are just a few tips that you can start your journey of defeating depression with. There are some of you who have a more chronic problem and don't even feel like doing anything. You need help. Your depression could be physiologically based and it can be well managed in consultation with a counseling/coaching or medical professional. There are so many effective strategies and remedies for depression now, that all you have to do is find out which one(s) suit your situation best and implement them!
Remember, the more depressed you are, the less happiness you will experience in your life. It's your life and you get to choose how you want to live it! If anyone else can have a better life so can you. You don't have to do it alone, I can do it with you!
Psych Central - Depression Screening Test Test your depressive feelings today and track them over time.
Copyright
The text on this page, unless otherwise indicated, is owned by happiness coach (Karen McGibbon) who hereby asserts her copyright on the material. Permission must be granted by the author in writing prior to copy or republish this article in print or online. Thank you.
© Karen McGibbon