Beating Depression

Graeme Obree: building bikes, writing books and beating depression

Source:

Stephen S. Ilardi, Ph D. The Depression Cur: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression withoutDrugs. Da Capo Press, 2009.

This is common sense advice for managing depression.

1. Eat foods rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids:  Seafood, oils (flaxseed oil -unheated; canola or soybean oil for cooking), beans (kidney, pinto, mungo), nuts, seeds, spinach, winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower, dietary supplements (fish oil, flaxseed oil).

2. Engage in activities that prevent over-ruminating, for over-ruminating causes depression—socializing, reading, hobbies, creating art, exercise of all kinds.

3. Engage in frequent physical exercise.  Research suggests 30 minutes of brisk walking three times a week can be as effective as some medications and individuals who exercise are less likely to become depressed again later. Common example of physical exercise that be done in one’s own neighborhood are walking, biking, jogging, and weight lifting. Exercise changes the brain, increasing the activity level of important brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin and a key growth hormone called BDNF. Because levels of this hormone plummet in depression, some parts of the brain start to shrink over time, and learning and memory are impaired. Exercise reverses this trend, protecting the brain in a way nothing else can.

4. Sunlight exposure is important for keeping the body’s internal clock working properly. Without light exposure, the body clock gets out of sync, throwing off important circadian rhythms that regulate energy, sleep, appetite, and hormone levels. On average – a half hour of sunlight is enough to reset your body clock, even on gray, cloudy days.

5. Social Support and relationships matter. Satisfying human connections influence healthy functioning. Therefore consider ways to increase the number of people in your social network especially those you can confide in.

6. Get adequate, regulated sleep. Disrupted sleep is one of the most potent triggers of depression, and there’s evidence that most episodes of mood disorder are preceded by at least several weeks of sub par slumber. Keep a sleep log. Each morning write the estimated number of hours you slept the night before; include approximately how many times you woke up throughout the night and couldnot get back to sleep for more than ten minutes.