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Depression makes no distinction between young and old. In the 1960s, for example, the median age of onset of depression was 29. It’s now 14 years old. Depression is an issue that must be addressed, and happily, more research is indicating that it can be done without the use of psychiatric medication.
According to scientific study, there are five effective techniques to avoid depression.
1. Sleep
Sleep deprivation might trigger a depressive episode. “The association between sleep and depressive illness is complex,” according to the American Sleep Foundation. Sleep problems can cause and/or contribute to depressive disorders, while depression can cause and/or contribute to sleep problems.”
When you don’t get enough sleep, you feel depressed. You will have more difficulties going asleep if you are depressed. It’s a terrible cycle that only gets worse with time. The ideal quantity of sleep for a person varies depending on their lifestyle and age, but 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night is considered normal. Make sure you get those hours of sleep if you can’t.
Pay off debts while sleeping; your mental health will appreciate it.
2. Exercise
Physical activity and well-being have been the subject of extensive research in recent decades. When it comes to depression, psychologists have learned how vital it is to consider the body.
A study on the effectiveness of exercise was conducted by Michael Babyak and his colleagues. He oversaw a group of 156 people suffering from major depression, many of whom had insomnia, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts. He separated them into three groups at random and treated them as follows:
- Group 1: For a week, do 30 minutes of low-intensity activities.
- Group 2: Standard psychiatric medicine.
- Group 3: Exercise and medication.
The results were surprising for 2 reasons:
- 60 percent of the patients improved, and there were no significant differences in the groups’ recovery rates.
- Exercise was just as effective as the medications.
At six months, Babyak checked for relapse rates and discovered that 60% of recovered patients:
- Relapse occurred in 38% of the medication group.
- Relapse occurred in 31% of those in the medication and exercise group.
- Only 9% of those who exercised relapsed. The exercise not only worked as well as the drug, but it also lasted longer.
Is it possible that even the most important treatment for depression prevention is undervalued?
3. Meditation
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, but it has mostly been done by monks on spiritual retreats for the majority of that time. Scientists have been able to analyze the brains of people who have been meditating for decades because to current technology such as electroencephalography and MRI scanners. It was also discovered that:
People with more activation on the left side of the prefrontal cortex are happier, whereas those with more activation on the right side are more pessimistic and depressed.
The majority of us fall somewhere in the middle. When they tested the meditators, their results were astounding. The monks’ left to right prefrontal cortex ratio was extremely high. They were extremely vulnerable to happy emotions while also being quite resilient to negative ones.
We don’t need to meditate for 8 hours a day like the monks to reap the benefits of meditation. For 8 weeks, 15 minutes a day can yield astonishing benefits. Meditation is effective. Have you started working yet?
4. Find Your Passion
People adjust rapidly to the joys and sorrows of life. We feel on top when we win a large sum of money, and we become accustomed to being on top. If we are fired, we fall into a pit from which we will eventually emerge. However, there are some things to which we do not adapt: passion.
Even the world’s wealthiest actors, I’m sure, would continue to act. Or that the world’s wealthiest CEOs use money to gauge their success rather than to live in luxury. You must discover your true calling. It’s like a spring of joy that never runs dry. Whether it’s writing, creating, or assisting others. If you truly want to live your life to the fullest, you must do so with zeal. And in order to live a life of passion, you must first discover it.
5. Regulate Your Blood Sugar
And it’s at this point that you might wonder if controlling blood sugar will help prevent depression. Well, you might be surprised to find that countless murderers and criminals have been exonerated of their crimes because to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels).
After a sugar surge, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) ensues. As a result, the best method to avoid low blood sugar is to avoid high blood sugar. All you have to do is stay away from carbs for the majority of the day, eat lots of fiber, and include some protein and fat in your diet.
You will not only avoid depression in a natural way if you follow these 5 steps, but you will also feel happy.
Useful: Do not hesitate to get help from a psychologist or professional if you believe you have a problem that you cannot manage on your own. It is available through the Social Security Family Physician, who will refer you to a specialist and treat you for free.
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