Do you feel depressed? Do you feel like you’re spending each day in the pits of depression with no way out? If you are, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Depression is one of those things that is so easy to fall into but can be so difficult to find your way out of.
If you struggle with depression, you may feel like the only way to get out of it is to take these huge steps that you don’t really have the energy for.
But I have some great news- that’s not the only way out.
While depression is certainly a difficult fight for most people who struggle with it, there are also quite a few simple, low-energy things you can do to ease the depression symptoms.
These are things that don’t require a giant lifestyle change, but rather just a small step toward a healthier and happier life.
I’m a big believer that small changes can make a big difference.
All the tips in the post are for education purposes only and are not intended to replace medical advice from a medical professional.
So if you’re looking for small ways you can feel less depressed, keep reading.
A few things to keep in mind as you read these tips:
Do what is best for you. I know how hard it is to be depressed and I know that even the simplest things can drain every ounce of energy from your body and mind. So do what you can to better yourself, yes, but also meet yourself with grace and compassion if you aren’t able to do all or any of the things on this list every day. It’s about progress, not perfection.
1. Drink more water
Water is crucial to your overall well-being but did you know that your water intake can affect your depression?
When you’re dehydrated, you can experience lower serotonin levels, more stress, brain fog, and even increased risk of panic attack. A simple way to fight depression is to simply keep yourself hydrated.
Water allows your brain to function more efficiently, and after all, the brain is like the control center for depression.
2. Fight Depression with Superfoods
Have you heard of superfoods?
Superfoods are simply foods that are the best of the best when it comes to your health- mental or physical.
There are a variety of foods that are proven to help be beneficial for your brain, which in turn can decrease and prevent symptoms of depression.
Here are a few of the superfoods to add into your diet:
- Berries- High in antioxidants and vitamins, they help give your brain a boost
- Salmon and other fatty fish- High in Omega-3s (Omega-3s are directly linked to brain health)
- Walnuts
- Beans
- Greens
There are so many more foods on this list, but these are a few of the biggest and easiest to incorporate into your diet.
Would be interested in reading a blog post about a depression-fighting diet & meal plan? Drop a comment below to let me know!
3. Fight depression with a daily routine
Simply put, our brains like structure. And if you’re going through a period where your brain feels overwhelmed and tired and foggy, structure can be even more beneficial. It can provide a sense of comfort, of familiarity.
When we develop a daily routine, we are helping our brains out big time. And once you stick to this routine for a certain amount of time, it will become a habit. And healthy habits are crucial for good mental health.
If you’re looking for some daily routine ideas, I have a post about nighttime routines and I’m working on one for morning routines as well.
You can read the nighttime routine post here!
If you’re not sure how to get about having a daily routine, just start simple.
Say that you want to wake up/go to sleep at the same time every day and start there.
Then as you are able to manage that, try making a list of the things you would like to do every day and pick a designated time to do them.
It’s important to not put too much into your routine at once, as this can lead to feeling overwhelmed and depleted. Start small and slow.
4. Fight depression with journaling
As a writer I may be a little biased to writing out my thoughts, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an extremely helpful method to help fight depression.
Journaling is so powerful that I recommend it for anyone and everyone.
I think sometimes when we feel depressed, it can start to feel like we don’t know who we are or what we are thinking or feeling, because our heads just feel too fuzzy.
Journaling gives our brains an opportunity to kind of dump out all that information so that we can begin to piece together all of the thoughts and feelings we have swirling around.
If you’re new to journaling, just know that it might feel awkward at first. You might open up a notebook and have absolutely no idea what to write. That is completely normal.
I encourage you to write something, anything, even when it feels awkward. The more you do it, the more comfortable and natural it will feel, and soon it’ll just become second nature.
Journaling allows us to find ourselves, and that’s super helpful when it comes to fighting our way through depression.
If you would like to start journaling and feel prompts would be helpful for you, I have made a journal prompt booklet that you can check out here. Also, Pinterest is a great place to find journal prompt ideas.
5. Prioritize your sleep health
I know, this one seems kind of tone deaf, being that insomnia is typically a symptom of depression, but hear me out.
If you can figure out how to get some better sleep, your mind (and body) will benefit.
Our bodies and especially our brains just can’t function at 100% without the rest they need. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted mentally, chances are your body is in need of some rest.
Some things you can do to help yourself get better sleep:
- Develop a nightly routine and plan on heading to bed at the same time every night
- Avoid caffeine too late in the day
- Make your bedroom a cozy welcoming space that you feel at peace in
- Try a meditation app such as HeadSpace, which you can try for free here.
6. Spend time in nature
This one is simple but effective.
Nature is one of those things that boosts serotonin levels and helps us to feel more happy and less stressed.
Try adding this in with one of the other steps listed above. Take your daily walk outside. Or sit on your porch in the mornings and journal for 5 minutes.
Nature is amazing and getting some fresh air can help you so much.
7. Keep your home a little more tidy
Outer order = inner calm. Likewise, outer chaos = inner chaos.
I know when you’re feeling down, the last thing in the world you want to do is clean your house.
But taking a small amount of time each day to tidy up, or even just keeping up with the cleaning as you go can save you a lot of stress later.
So next time you feel tempted to leave your trash out or throw your dirty clothes on the floor, remind yourself that taking the extra 30 seconds to throw your trash away or put your laundry in the hamper is well worth it.
Cleaning/tidying is also helpful because it can help you feel like we accomplished something, and that can be very helpful for depression.
I truly hope this list helps you to feel inspired to fight depression back and take control of your mental health. While every situation is different, most of the time there are ways we can help ourselves just by simple lifestyle changes.
If you’re going through depression, know that you are not alone. There are so many of us out there, trying to get through the fight, one day at a time.
Just know that you have the strength inside you to get through this, you are so much stronger than you think.
Want to dig even deeper into your depression healing journey? Sign up for this FREE email challenge: the 7-Day Anti Depression Challenge ↓
What tips & tricks have helped you with depression? Leave them in the comments below!
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