A peaceful mind and a healthy body complement each other. Feeling sad or upset is part of life and does happen in certain instances. However, letting these feelings get the better of you can lead to a depressive state from which it may not be easy to get out of. Doctors say that depression occurs due to chemical imbalance in the brain and stressful life events. The good news is that making some lifestyle changes can help prevent depression.
- Do things that you enjoy. Everyone has their own interests and you should identify yours and spend more time on it. Socialize with other people and engage in activities that you enjoy.
- It is also important to stay connected with your loved ones. Set apart time to get in touch with relatives and friends. Share your feelings with someone you are close to – talking about problems can make a big difference and ease stress. Build quality relationships instead of superficial friendships.
- Make a deliberate effort to halt negative thoughts. Such thoughts can have a damaging impact on your mood and mental well-being. Therapies such as yoga and mindfulness meditation can get rid of negative thoughts.
- What happens in your daily life can influence your moods. Be more realistic to the things that happen around you and accept things for what they are. Maintain a positive outlook – this will help you realize that things are not as bad as they seem to be.
- Maintain a healthy diet and avoid junk food. It is believed that foods high in fat, sugar, and calories can increase your risk of depression by 51%.
- Each day, set apart some time to relax, sort out your thoughts and improve your focus. Take a walk, go on a hike, or try yoga.
- Regular exercise is crucial to build physical and mental fitness.
- Sleep well. Our brain repairs and refreshes itself when we sleep. Sleeping also help improves our mood.
Setting healthy boundaries in relationships and at work is important. Prioritizing will help keep stress to a minimum. So if you are stressed, learn to say no!
