The 9 Best Ways To Prevent Depression Naturally

Did you know that around 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression?

And out of those 350 million people across the world, a lot of people are actually resistant to medication. So with depression being such a prevalent illness across the globe that often cannot be treated with medication, what can we do at home to be able to help cure ourselves of depression?

[caption id="attachment_19972" align="aligncenter" width="330"]Bring 'happy' back to life[/caption]

In this article, we count down the 9 best ways to cure depression to help you do what you can do get rid of this life-changing mental illness.

The 9 Best Ways To Prevent Depression Naturally: You Must Try

1. Cure your Inflammation

Inflammation is not just something that occurs with people who suffer from arthritis or physical illnesses, but it can also be a cause of depression too. Studies have shown that inflammation of the brain can be a cause of depression. By pinpointing the cause of your inflammation, you could alleviate the symptoms of your depression.

Inflammation of the brain is actually linked to memory loss which means you will need to find some best ways to improve memory function. Common causes of brain inflammation can be things like food intolerances so try and cut out dairy, gluten and other things that are common intolerances. Cutting out sugar can also help.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Sleep matters, ok? Sleep really matters. Numerous studies have shown that sleep really plays a big part in depression. If you are not getting enough sleep, then you need to find ways to change up your schedule so that you are getting your 7 hours a night in. The best sleep aids would be able to help if you feel you have trouble getting to sleep at night.

If you’re a workaholic, even the best dark circle creams won’t hide those eye bags if you’re not getting enough sleep. Make sure that you start to make your bedtimes earlier and earlier until you’re definitely getting in your 7 hours. Listen to relaxing music or even white-noise machines. There are plenty of relaxation techniques out there that will help you wind down at night. Turn off your screens and your mobile phones at least an hour before bedtime and try picking up a book to help you drift off.

3. Stay Active

Exercise really does play a massive role in curing depression. There have been so many studies into the effects of exercise on mental health issues, and all of them show huge positive improvements on the mental state of people suffering from depression and anxiety.

Exercise is so beneficial for many different reasons. It has no nasty side effects for one thing. Exercise will also not only improve your mental wellbeing but your physical wellbeing as well. Your body produces endorphins when you exercise which means you’re getting an instant boost. The thing is, exercise can be anything that gets your heart pumping and your body moving. This includes dancing, martial arts or hitting the gym. It really is up to you what you do.

4. Get out in Nature

Following on from the comment on exercising above, getting out in nature is something else that is extremely beneficial for people who suffer from depression. Studies have shown that getting out in nature for nature walks can actually be a cure for depression.

People who regularly go for walks in nature are more likely to be happier, healthier people. And that includes their mental health too. Nature walks can be really beneficial and not only for the endorphins released while doing physical activity but for the feeling you get when you’re in nature.

If you don’t go for walks in nature often, try incorporating nature walks into your routine. You should start seeing the benefits right away.

[caption id="attachment_10003" align="aligncenter" width="425"]Nature's staircase?[/caption]

5. Think Positive

I know that when you’re truly in the grips of depression, someone is telling you to “think positive” is hardly helpful but bear with me. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude and looking on the “bright side” of life actually can cure depression.

By learning to think positively and practicing gratitude daily, you learn to reframe your thoughts so that you can turn negative ones into positive ones. By changing the way you speak to yourself, treat yourself with kindness and your outlook on life you encourage positivity rather than negative thinking.

Some things you can do to try to think more positively is to start a gratitude journal by writing down 5 things each day that you’re grateful for. You can start a self-love journal and begin listing the things that you love about yourself. You can also start using positive affirmations every day and noticing when you begin to say bad things about yourself and changing those negative thoughts to positive ones.

6. Identify your Triggers and Lower Stress

It’s no surprise that depression is often caused by your brain reacting to poorly dealt with stress. The best way to deal with depression brought on by stress is to try and identify your triggers and lower your stress levels.

That’s all well and good saying you need to lower your stress but how? One of the best ways to deal with day-to-day stress is to have a proper self-care regime in place. You can’t pour water from an empty jug so make sure you fill yourself up with goodness. Make sure you’re looking after your body and not overworking yourself. Make sure you’re taking some time out of each day to focus on yourself and the things you love rather than work.

7. Get Creative

Art therapy is a thing you know because it does work. Studies have shown that art therapy can significantly reduce the symptoms of depression. This is a massive thing, and if you’ve not found a creative outlet yet, you need to find one soon.

If painting or drawing isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of ways to get creative such as writing, pottery, or even knitting or sewing. Anything that you can use as a creative release for your emotions is great.

8. Meditate

I know that meditation can often seem like new age nonsense, but honestly, it’s such a popular practice because it does actually work. I was once one of those people who didn’t believe the benefits of mediation until I tried having a regular meditation practice and now I swear by it.

Studies have shown that by practicing meditation daily, you’re less likely to suffer from the symptoms of anxiety and depression. By picking up a daily meditation habit, you’re less likely to become depressed or anxious, and it will help you to reframe your thoughts and be kinder to yourself.

9. Take The Right Supplements

Lack of particular vitamins or minerals can often cause depression. This is why it’s so important to make sure you’re eating healthily and getting enough micronutrients to keep your mind and body healthy. If you find that you’re deficient in some vitamins and minerals, you should start taking the right supplements daily. Start off by taking a multivitamin daily and see how much difference it makes to your state of mind.

Conclusion

As you can see, many things can affect your depression and so many different ways to help cure your depression, even if you find you are resistant to medication. One of the main things is to take care of you. Self-care is extremely important, and everyone should be engaged in daily self-care.

If you have depression what ways have you found to deal with your depression without medication? We’d love to hear from you.

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Author Bio:

Vaileria Dennis is a Health and Beauty Advisor and an independent Researcher of skincare and DIY beauty. She has contributed to various well-known websites, having a good experience in the beauty industry. She also finds her interest in some indoor games. She possesses fabulous communication and interpersonal skills. You can connect with her on Facebook.

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