10 Effective Ways to Improve Mental Health with Natural Antidepressants

Depression can make you feel helpless and alone. In addition to therapy and medication, there are natural and healthy ways to improve your mental health.

Chronic stress is a major trigger for depression in today’s society. Learning how to deal with stress as well as living a healthy lifestyle can help you live a happier and more balanced life.

If you are searching for more natural, holistic ways to improve your mental health, we can help. Here are 10 natural antidepressants you can try.

Establish a Routine

If you suffer from depression, it’s easy to fall out of your normal routine. Depression can create chaos in your life and strip away the structure in your life until the days seem to run together.

A normal routine is good for stability and mental health. If you have fallen out of a regular routine, you can take small steps to address the situation.

Start small to establish a gentle routine for yourself. Make a list of a few things you would like to accomplish each day and make those things a priority.

Set a Few Goals

When you are depressed, it’s easy to feel helpless. You may feel like you cannot accomplish anything right now.

You can begin to turn this around by setting a few simple goals for yourself. Setting simple goals such as taking a walk or reading to your child each day can help.

When you feel like your life is out of control, setting simple goals and following through can help you feel more in charge of your life.

Botanicals Are Natural Antidepressants

You should not stop taking any prescription medication for depression without speaking to your doctor first. But if you aren’t getting the relief you need, botanical or herbal supplements may help.

Naturopathic doctors specialize in treating various ailments, including depression, with botanical and herbal supplements. Many people choose to use these natural supplements rather than prescription antidepressants.

St. John’s wort, omega-3 supplements, saffron, folate, zinc, and others are common supplements people use to improve their thinking, memory, and mental health.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Your diet can have a profound effect on your health and wellbeing. People with depression should eat a healthy diet and avoid too much sugar, processed foods, alcohol, and caffeine.

Some foods are natural serotonin enhancers. These include eggs, flaxseed oil, omega-3 fatty acids, coconut oil, and sour cherries.

Many doctors and nutritionists believe your gut health can affect your mental health. Eating probiotic-rich foods like yogurt can promote a balance of gut bacteria.

You can also take pre and probiotic supplements to achieve the same result.

Meditation for Depression

Meditation is a relaxation technique that many people use on a regular basis to combat anxiety and stress. Taking a few minutes each day to meditate in your own way is a great way to combat depression and focus on yourself.

There are various techniques for meditating including:

• Guided – Focusing on a mental image of a place you find relaxing
• Transcendental – Repeating a word, sound, or phrase
• Mindfulness – having increased awareness and acceptance of the moment

Get Moving

You may hear this advice all the time, but it’s true. Exercise is good for your mind and body.

You may feel you are too busy or too stressed out to exercise, but even a few minutes of activity a day is beneficial. Exercise releases the body’s natural endorphins which make us feel happy and positive.

Regular exercise can help you combat depression. It’s a way to help you care for yourself and put yourself first.

Get Enough Sleep

Depression causes some people to suffer from insomnia and others to sleep too much. Too much or too little sleep can make depression worse.

Sleep is important for your mind and body to recover from the events of the day. It’s restorative and critical for overall health.

Try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Rather than hanging around in bed after you wake up, try to get up and establish a morning routine.

If you have trouble sleeping at night, try not to nap during the day. You will be more likely to feel sleepy if you have been busy throughout the day.

Remove distractions like your computer and cell phone from your bedroom. Establishing a healthy routine for sleep will help you in time.

Avoid Negative Thinking

When you deal with depression every day, it’s easy to feel terrible about yourself. You may feel worthless and even angry about your situation.

Thinking negative thoughts about yourself and your life will only make you feel worse. Try to remind yourself of all the good things you do in your life.

Think about all the people in your life who love and need you. Try to push the negative thoughts away and focus on the present.

Take some time to pamper yourself. Take a bath, listen to music, or read a good book to get your thoughts back on track.

Talking with a therapist or working with a mental health technician on a regular basis may help. In time, you will learn to focus on the positive and remember that depression is not your fault, and you can get better.

Acupuncture

Many people believe that acupuncture is a natural pain reliever. And some studies suggest that for some people, acupuncture can ease anxiety and depression.

An acupuncturist inserts tiny needles in various body points, and the body responds by releasing endorphins. This helps you feel calm and relaxed.

For some people, this relief lasts long after the acupuncture session. If you plan to try acupuncture, make sure you choose a reputable facility and a licensed acupuncturist.

Try Something New

When you’re depressed, you may want to shut out the world and stay inside your home. Avoiding people and being alone will only worsen your depression.

Try to get out of the house and try something new. Go see a movie, visit a museum, take a walk in the park, or do something for someone else.

You could sign up for an art or cooking class or even volunteer somewhere. When you challenge yourself to try something new, you may really enjoy it.

This can lead you to try again or try other things, and that is a good start. Remember that fun and laughter are natural antidepressants.

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