Everyone feels down and depressed sometimes.
For some people it is very rarely and for others it happens quite often.
For some people they feel depressed for just a few short minutes, while for others it can last hours, days or even longer.
It is impossible to enjoy life while feeling down. It is also very difficult to be productive and at your best.
It is also very difficult to live your Most Interesting Life…
What do interesting people do when they feel depressed?
There’s a lot of science pertaining to how the human mind works. There are many methods that work for most people and some that work just for some people. Interesting people are always looking for strategies to better their lives.
What follows are a bunch of quick tips and methods to turn that frown upside down, reverse bouts of depression and give yourself a kick-start to having a more cheery and energized day….
1. Motion
Get up! Move around. Stretch, do jumping jacks, push ups, yoga or anything else to get the blood flowing. Our physiology affects our mind and vice versa. Standing up straight, putting a smile on your face and/or doing a victory pose with your hands up in the air can instantly make you feel much much better.
2. Exercise
This is similar to number one above, but with an increased amount of intensity and duration. When Motion itself isn’t enough, this is a more powerful dose of Motion. This can lead to a release of endorphins (one of the body’s feel-good chemicals). It also feels good to be doing something that is good for you and your life which also builds action-taking momentum. If nothing else hitting the gym or going for a long jog is a great distraction.
3. Get to Work
Putting your attention on work can shift your mind from feeling depressed. It is hard for the mind to hold two types of thoughts at the same time so it is very likely that once you start working the depression will slip away. Working towards a worthwhile goal also feels good. This is also likely to remove depressed feelings. Doing work makes you feel in control. A lot of depression is caused by feeling of lack of control in your life.
4. Hold Your Breath
Yes, you read that right, Hold your breath. Hold it for as long as you can. The more depressed you are, the longer you should hold it. This will serve several functions. For one thing, it is hard to feel depressed when your only focus in on taking your next breath. Also it will feel good when you finally had enough and start breathing again. When you do start breathing again you will be taking nice big deep breaths which will also feel good. Holding your breath until you can’t anymore forces you to live in the moment. Much of depression comes from either dwelling in the past or dreading the future.
5. Eat Something Healthy and/or Something You Enjoy
This can be another distraction from your depression. Eating healthy foods can make you feel like you are doing something beneficial. It can also have a nice wholesome feeling. When in doubt eating unhealthy foods that you enjoy can also work wonders. Don’t eat too many unhealthy foods though. Being fat and unhealthy is likely to make you feel more depressed in the long run.
6. Socialize
Get together with friends or at least talk to them on the phone. This can serve as a distraction or even just an opportunity to vent about what is bothering you. Sometimes just talking about things that are bothering you is enough to make you feel like you are doing something about them. Sometimes vocalizing things helps you think about them more clearly. Even if you don’t talk about what is bothering you, socializing can act as a good distraction. It also feels good to have good times with friends.
7. Float
I often write and talk about Float Tanks aka Sensory Deprivation Chambers. For me, no matter how down or overwhelmed I feel, after floating in a float tank everything feels as right as rain. Dr. Oz even once compared float tanks to massages and cold therapy, and chose float tanks as his favorite relaxation method. You can watch his video about floating here: Dr. Oz Floats
The final three items are sort of like medicating yourself so should be used sparingly (other than the teas). The best way to feel better about your life is to do something to make your life situation better. These things might just give you a kick-start to taking life-improving action…
8. Tea
Kava has been shown to help people deal with stress and depression. Kava is the national drink of Fiji and is often enjoyed as part of a feel-good ceremony. I occasionally drink a cup of “Yogi Kava Stress Relief Tea”. It is an herbal blend of relaxation herbs with Kava as its main ingredient. If I’m looking to feel nice before bed I often drink “Yogi Soothing Caramel Bedtime Tea”. Both of these teas taste really good and aren’t very expensive considering their quality. You can usually get a box for about $3-$5. In addition most any other tea is good too. Teas help hydrate you and are generally a healthy beverage option, especially when no sugar is added. The Yogi teas listed above have a natural sweetness and don’t require any added sugar.
9. Wine
Don’t become an alcoholic. Don’t hop behind the wheel of a car or operate any heavy machinery after drinking. That being said, a strategically drank glass of wine can work wonders for your health and mental state. Often later in the day if I want to relax and/or get a second wind to do some work and/or write a blog post I will have a nice glass of red wine. Usually my favorite red wines are dryer wines from Argentina or Chile. These wines are usually inexpensive, can be enjoyed without much aging, and even when they are dry have a natural fruit taste which balance them out well. A glass or two of wine a day is generally considered to be healthy and can make you feel good and get you out of a down state of mind.
10. Caffeine
Don’t become a caffeine addict, but a strategic cup of coffee or tea can give you a burst of energy that you might need to go to the gym, get some work done or do any of the other methods listed above. If you enjoy tea or coffee, that enjoyment can also raise your mental state. Be aware that if you over-do it with caffeine that it will become less reliable over time and you will need it just to feel normal.
Most of the tips above involve taking action and getting moving. They involve getting your mind on more positive things and also getting your body involved.
Depression is largely a problem of the developed world. We have way too much time to think, be in our own heads and get depressed.
Studies have shown that people living in disaster areas, war zones or places where they work a lot to survive, have depression rates are often much lower than in more developed countries. This may seem counter-intuitive, but in more developed countries people have the luxury to feel depressed. In more down-and-out areas people are focused on just surviving day to day with no time to feel depressed.
In closing it is extremely normal to feel down sometimes. It should even be expected from time to time. Like with most things, what matters most is how you respond to it. Use the tips above and find out which ones work best for you. The list above is in no away an all-inclusive list so feel free to leave a comment sharing some tips of your own.
Cheers to a Happy and Interesting Life!
Wishing you all the best,
D
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