Trying to stay cool as a cucumber? This mindfulness meditation will keep your jets cool the next time something really fuels your fire.
Handling stress is a skill that can be extremely beneficial to your road to happiness.
From the minute your alarm wakes you up, to the second you lose consciousness right back in your bed, your mind is wandering through a myriad of emotions which lay down the framework for your habitual feelings, actions, and thoughts.
These emotions may catch you off guard or be under your control, depending on which side of the bed you woke up on that day (or if you’ve already had your coffee).
One of the best ways to manage not only stress, but also anxiety, panic, depression, obsessive thinking, and strong emotional reactivity is to practice “Mindfulness Meditation” or “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.”
A Guide to Mindful Meditation
Trying to stay cool as a cucumber this summer? This hack will keep your jets cool the next time something really fuels your fire. Don’t let life drag you down, and try to stay away from immediately turning to medicine to deal with life’s stressful times (i.e. antidepressants, opiates, sleeping pills, etc.). Taking the monkey off your back is not as impossible as it seems.
Mindfulness Meditation has been proven clinically effective since 1967, and the best part about it is that it can cost the magical number “free.”
Practicing mindfulness is bringing your awareness to the present moment without judgement of your own inner voice or your emotions. Try to steer clear of putting a “right” or “wrong” label on any train of thought or feeling at any given moment.
Instead, bring your attention to the present time, peacefully part ways with your past, and seize your future.
Though these are wonderful props which may help guide your meditation practice, what’s more important is paying attention to your bodily sensations, thoughts, emotions, and external sensations from your environment with acceptance, compassion, and patience. The more your practice, the easier it will become.
Here are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind while you practice cultivating mindfulness:
1. Posture
Maintaining good posture is a key to successful mindfulness. The right posture can improve blood flow throughout the body, as well as energy flow – together, these influence your thoughts and emotions.
The influence goes both ways, though; negative thoughts tend to leave you hunching your shoulders inward. Poor posture is also known to leave your neck and head feeling achy and may even result in headaches.
Spend some time adjusting to your ideal posture. Make sure that your spine is stacked, and your hips are level with each other. Imagine yourself lifting the crown of your head up to the sky. Shoulders should be lifting back and down the back of your spine.
2. Breath
Concentration on the breath may be one of your best tools to enhance your Mindfulness Meditation practice. Deeper breaths will help you mentally establish your presence in your meditation space.
Establishing presence means being cognizant of what is happening in the “here” and “now.” Especially pay attention to your breath as you are riding any intense emotional roller coasters, this will help you stay calm and carry on.
3. Surrounding Environment
If you have never heard that you are a product of your environment, now you have. Observing your senses and your surroundings without letting them slip past your conscious thought allows your mind to be at peace in the present moment.
Focus not only on what you can see, but also what you can hear, smell, feel, and even taste. Observing your physical senses in any given environment can improve your decision-making skills.
4. This Too Shall Pass
Your ability to free your mind from taking a ride on the negative side will strengthen as you train yourself to recognize that who you are as a person is not defined by what you think and feel. Experiences in life are ephemeral, or short-lived.
Mindfulness meditation has several physical benefits to your health including:
Lowers your blood pressure and your blood pressure reactivity to stress
Reduces cortisol in your blood, a significant hormone involved in stress control
Fights obesity: by practicing Mindful Meditation you can discipline yourself to practice mindful eating.
Cortisol from stress damages brain structure and connectivity. Your brain is your control center. Think of the effect of chronic stress on the brain like leaving your cell phone in the rain.
If it’s just sprinkling out, it’s probably not a big deal for a few minutes, but leave it outside while it’s pouring buckets of rain for an hour, and you’re going to need a new selfie device. In a similar fashion, excess and chronic stress will slowly influence malfunctions in your body’s communication with itself.
Mindfulness is a total game changer when it comes to anxiety and depression because it literally changes our brains physiologically. Studies have found that after practicing Mindfulness Meditation, the density of grey matter in the brain will increase in regions linked to emotion, empathy, memory, learning and regulation.
It even changes the game of relationships. Couples were observed to be more satisfied with their relationships, closer to one another, and more optimistic, accepting, and relaxed when they had practiced mindfulness.
Try combining mindfulness with your other meditation practices. Don’t know how to meditate, or would like some tips? Here’s an easy 10-Minute Meditation you can do almost anywhere. Just remember to use Mindful Meditation to help anchor both your mind and body, while also adding depth to your practice.
Liz Lang is a Clinical Research Coordinator with the Southern California Institute for Research and Education in the field of Gastroenterology. Liz graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Public Health Sciences. She has an insatiable thirst to learn how the human body works in order to keep people healthy. When Liz isn’t in the clinic, she enjoys exploring nature, yoga, and trying new things (especially food!).
A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.
Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook
If you suffer from throbbing migraines, try this mindfulness meditation that guides you through a full body scan and cleansing breaths to help you release your pain.
With the fast-paced world we live in, it’s no wonder that many of us are chronically stressed out. Even worse, the tension and anxiety that often come along with it can turn into an excruciating migraine. Ouch.
A migraine is a chronic disorder that requires long-term management and preventative strategies. While those strategies typically consist of anti-nausea drugs and pain relievers, meditation could offer a more natural approach to dealing with these debilitating headaches.
Migraine symptoms include pounding headaches, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. Sufferers typically report throbbing pain on one side of the head as well. No one knows exactly what causes migraines, but different migraine triggers include changes in weather, changes in sleep, certain foods or drinks, caffeine, anxiety, and stress.
Eases stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia: Meditation is a quick and portable way to help reduce pain and emotional tension and is an effective alternative to pharmaceuticals.
Reduces heart rate and blood pressure: Meditation increases parasympathetic activity, reducing blood pressure and heart rate and bringing the body into a more relaxed and restful state.
Aides in pain management: Mindfulness meditation reduces migraine symptoms by directing attention to sensory events, engaging the mechanisms that support the cognitive control of pain.
Mindfulness Meditation for Migraines
Mindfulness meditation can reduce chronic pain by over 50 percent. This is because mindfulness soothes the brain patterns of underlying pain. Eventually these changes can take root and alter the structure of the brain itself, so that patients no longer feel pain with the same intensity.
Use this mindfulness meditation to let go of your pain by becoming aware of it from an outside perspective.
Step 1: Begin by taking a comfortable seat. Place your palms face down on your thighs and sit up tall. Relax your shoulders and the muscles of your face.
Step 2: Take three deep, cleansing breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Then, find a more natural breath in and out of the nose, and close your eyes.
Step 3: Begin to identify the source of the pain (head, neck, eyes, temples). Then, see if you can move through that pain and tension. Wherever you feel pain, accept it, sit with it, and let the body relax around the pain.
Step 4: Now, do a slow scan from the crown of your head to your shoulders. Notice and feel any pain, tension, and sensation as you go through. Whenever you observe pain, practice moving into it, sitting with it, and accepting it.
Make sure to pay attention to these particular areas:
Crown of the head
Forehead
Eyes: Start with the right eye, including the eyelid, eyeball, then behind the eyeball. Repeat on the left eye. Then feel both eyes, scanning the entire eye area and noticing all sensations.
Temples: Feel the right side, then the left.
Jaw: Feel the right side and then the left. Let your jaw soften.
Mouth: Start with your tongue, the top and bottom of your mouth, and the teeth.
Ears: Feel behind and underneath the earlobes, then the inside of the ears.
Neck: Start at the base of your neck and then move upwards.
Entire head: Start at the base of your scalp, up and around the back of the head, and back up to the crown.
Step 5: Bring awareness back to the entirety of the head, neck, and shoulders, noticing any differences in pain. Send yourself love and gratitude. Take a deep, cleansing breath, then slowly open your eyes.
Kelly is a certified Personal Trainer with NASM, a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher, and has her B.S. in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. She is co-owner of Roaming Yogi Adventures, a yoga and adventure-based retreat. She believes that having fun and well-rounded exercise is the key to maximizing strength, flexibility, and mental health.
A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.
Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook
Do you ever feel crushed under the pangs of chronic pain? Here’s how meditation can help.
If you have a hard time finding lasting relief from chronic pain, you’re not alone. Alarmingly, 100 million adults in the US suffer from chronic pain. Worldwide, over 1.5 billion people suffer from pain that lasts for weeks, months, and even years.
First, let’s clarify the difference between acute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain is our body’s natural response to an injury. When we take a nasty fall, the strains, tears, breaks, and infections can cause immediate and intense pain that typically subsides once the injury heals.
Chronic pain, however, lasts much longer. It’s often felt at the location of a previous injury (but not always). It can last for weeks, months, or even years after the injury heals.
Getting pain management may not be as simple going to the doctor, either.
According to Dr. John D. Loeger, a neurological surgeon and pain expert, chronic pain is a complex phenomenon that involves biological, psychological and sociological or environmental factors dynamically interacting with each other. This makes diagnosing difficult and may explain why many treatments often leave us needing more.
Typical western doctors are not trained to give advice on patients’ lifestyles, relationships, social lives, careers, environment or mental states. Most doctors are trained to prescribe narcotic drugs, therapies, and surgery to address physical symptoms. These treatments are beneficial in certain circumstances but, as we now know, there are many other factors to consider.
Simply prescribing pain medication ignores the psychological, emotional, and social aspects of pain, and long-term dependency on pain meds – especially opiates – can wreak further havoc on a person’s mental and physical health.
The good news is that there are healthy ways you can minimize chronic pain that may prevent the need for surgery or harsh narcotics. Exercise, relaxation, and distraction techniques all help, but meditation can significantly improve the perception of pain in adults.
Research shows that meditation impacts our chronic pain in multiple ways:
It’s quick and powerful. A study by Wake Forest University showed that participants who practiced mindfulness meditation for three 20-minute sessions, spread over three days, had significantly reduced pain compared to other cognitive techniques that were used.
It’s relief that lasts. In this same study, researchers discovered that patients’ who meditated had a reduction in their perception of pain even after the sessions concluded. That means pain can continue to decrease long after meditation is over.
It’s more effective than distracting or relaxing alone. When compared with activities that distract our minds (like solving a math problem), or relaxing (like lying down on a sofa or listening to music), meditation rules the roost. A few minutes of sitting in meditation far outweighs the benefits of other cognitive pain relief techniques by a whopping 40%!
So, although meditation may not be a cure-all for chronic pain, it does provide meaningful relief that lasts.
But how does it work, exactly? Quite simply – meditation is a powerful stress and tension reliever. It helps the body relax, heal and release stored emotions, which may have a lot to do with chronic pain.
Meditation helps us two-fold:
It kicks long-held stress and tension to the curb. Meditation activates your body’s internal healing and relaxation mechanisms while allowing stored thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations to be released. When we sit to rest in meditation, our minds become busy with thoughts. That’s our body’s way of releasing old emotions and tension.
This is why it’s so important to allow the thinking process to occur and welcome your experience without judging or straining against it. When we take this welcoming approach in our meditation, the immune system, blood pressure, parasympathetic nervous system, and circulation are improved. Meanwhile, our muscles and fascia loosen to allow proper circulation.
It rewires our brain to release pain. Meditating helps us create and reinforce positive neural connections in four areas of the brain used in pain processing: our primary somatosensory cortex, anterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex and our prefrontal cortex. This drops our perceived pain intensity faster than you can say, “Let it all go.”
When we sit in an act of meditation, we feel happier, in less pain and in more control of our mind-body system. The best news is, it’s completely free, anyone can do it (including you) and it’s 100 percent natural with virtually none of the adverse effects of surgery and narcotics.
How to Practice Meditation for Natural Chronic Pain Relief?
An easy way to start is by spending five to ten minutes resting on a chair with your spine erect, feet on the floor and palms resting on your lap. Set a timer for how long you’d like to meditate.
With eyes open or closed, welcome everything in your experience. Thoughts, emotions, sounds, sensations and, instincts – all is OK. Your job is to simply notice what is, without trying to control any of it.
Your breath is an easy place to begin. Notice your inhale and exhales, as well as the spaces between each. Allow your breath to soothe you as you notice the physical sensations of your breathing.
Become curious about the rhythm, depth, and essence of your breath. After a few minutes, you may want to close your eyes and notice the sense of relief you feel. Continue with this gentle awareness for the next few minutes.
It’s as simple as that! Pick up this daily practice and your body and brain will surely thank you.
Leah is a Meditation and Mindfulness Coach, who specializes in helping women in the workforce lead joyous lives. Her background in modern Psychology and neuroscience alongside trainings in ancient practices allows her to provide useful tools that actually work and are easy to integrate within a busy lifestyle.
Her mission is to help women uncover more love, joy, harmony and intimacy within themselves and with others, the foundation for all happiness. You can find out more about Leah’s meditation coaching here.
A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.
Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.
When people hear the word meditation, what generally comes to mind is having to sit cross-legged for a very long time.
Most people tend to think of discomfort when they think of meditation, or that they just don’t have the time to fit it in. Now I’m not asking you to find 2 hours out of your day to meditate, but I am asking that you find 10 minutes in your day to sit quietly, with no distractions.
People often begin a meditation practice as a way to bring more stillness into their lives or address stress-related issues.
In a 2012 survey, 20 percent of Americans said they were experiencing extreme levels of stress. And while 64 percent said that it was “extremely important or very important to manage stress”, only 37 percent felt they were actually doing an excellent or very good job at managing theirs.
Stress activates our sympathetic nervous system, also known as our “fight-or-flight” system. Our heart rate rises, digestion shuts down and our body feels threatened by either internal or external factors.
Meditation is beneficial for stress as it helps to soothe our nervous system, or the “rest and digest” part of our nervous system, which helps with stress management. Our heart rate slows, our respiration slows and our blood pressure drops. This is often called the “relaxation response”*.
If we are constantly in “fight-or-flight” mode, this can have damaging effects to our health and body. Our parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” system, is where all healing takes place. It relaxes our body and is restorative for our health.
In fact, meditation has been proven to not only reduce stress, but to have other short-term benefits, as well.
A Harvard study showed that eliciting the body’s relaxation response could affect our genes in just minutes. They found that meditating (even just once) could dampen the genes involved in the inflammatory response and promote those genes associated with DNA stability. Short-term benefits would include lowering blood pressure, improving attention span and improving overall longevity.
There are many different types of meditation practices, but at the core of all meditation, the goal is to quiet the mind and focus on your breath. Paying attention to your breath is one of the best ways to get out of your head and into your heart.
So are you up for 10 minutes of meditation? You might be thinking, “10 minutes.
That’s it! I can do that!” It can actually be more challenging than we think! We can get so caught up in our thought process that it distracts us from calming down, breathing deeply and remaining present.
Speaking of breathing, we should pay more attention to our flow of breath on a day-to-day basis. It might sound strange, but it’s quite common for people to hold their breath without realizing it, and to get caught up in mundane things that cause their blood pressure to rise and anxiety to kick in.
What does this mean for your breath? It will become shallow and you will not effectively oxygenate your lungs and cells. And if you’re stuck at a desk all day hunched over your computer, your shoulders will start to roll forward and your neck and back will become rounded (not to mention stiff and knotty).
This position will actually compress the lungs. Sitting tall, with your shoulders rolled back and your spine lengthened will encourage you to breathe in and out more effectively.
So how do we breathe effectively? Easy!
Inhale deeply through your nose and extend your belly.
Exhale through your nose and pull the belly button to the spine.
Now inhale for 5 counts, extending the belly, hold for 5 counts, and exhale for 5 counts, pulling the belly button into the spine.
As you get used to this exercise, lengthen your breath on the exhale for longer than 5 counts.
Now let’s tie in this breathing exercise with a simple breath meditation.
10-Minute Meditation
Sit comfortably on a chair with your feet flat on the floor, or cross-legged on the floor. Do whatever is most comfortable for you. If you have a meditation cushion, sit on that.
Tuck it under your hip bones and let your knees fall lower than your hips.
Lengthen your tailbone down to the floor; roll your shoulders back, softening them away from your ears.
You may want to rest your palms on your knees or legs, either facing up or down. Do what is comfortable for you.
Now breathe – using the simple technique above. Pay attention to your breath: how fast you’re breathing, how it feels to extend the belly, how it feels to exhale and let all your breath out.
Focus on your breath for 10 minutes.
Pay attention to your belly. Is it falling and rising naturally with the flow of your breath?
There is a good chance your mind may be racing, going over your to-do list and all the work you need to get done. Or you may be thinking that you can’t do this, you’re uncomfortable, this is silly, etc. Breathe into any discomfort. Allow your breath to guide you.
Slowly start extending your exhales through your nose.
Alternatively, on your exhale, breathe through your mouth and let out a gentle HA (literally say the word “ha”). Continue with this breathing for 10 minutes.
Take Your 10 Minute Meditation a Step Further
Envision a large air balloon being filled with all your thoughts, your to-do list, your self-limiting beliefs… empty them into this air balloon.
Inhale deeply, fill the balloon and gently release the balloon into the sky, exhaling as you let go.
Keep practicing this whenever a new story or thought decides to creep its way into your head. You’d be surprised how quickly 10 minutes goes by!
I encourage you to practice this exercise every day. Maybe you start your day with just 5 minutes and fill your balloon with all the amazing things you’re going to accomplish, your affirmations and all the things you’re grateful for.
You may not always have the opportunity to sit in stillness, but you can definitely pay more attention to your breath throughout the day and practice deep breathing exercises.
Practicing these simple meditation exercises can help you to manage your stress better, improve your cardiovascular health and allow you to have a deeper connection to your mind and body.
Samantha Gladish is the brainchild and fun loving foodie behind www.holisticwellness.ca. Focusing on weight loss and hormonal balance, Samantha coaches women all over the globe. From whole food nutrition, to strategic supplementation and using her Qualitarian approach, Samantha helps guide women to living happier and healthier. You can find her cooking up quality food on a regular basis or reading the latest health book.
Samantha is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Metabolic Balance Weight Loss Coach, Hormone Cure Coach and Author of The Qualitarian Life. She is also the creator and developer of the unique and popular line of all natural holistic dental products, including Salty Kisses Toothpaste™ and Hippie Floss Oil™.
A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.
Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.
The Different Types of Depression and How to Start Healing
We talk a lot about physical health here at Paleohacks, but getting your mental health on point is just as important. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion about what depression looks like, how it might affect you, and what you can do about it.
Let’s tackle those now. With the right information at hand, it’s easier to pinpoint the issues and find a way to overcome them.
What Is Depression?
People throw around the word a lot. You’ll hear it often after breakups, stressful periods at work, the loss of a loved one, and various other negative situations.
These natural lows aren’t always synonymous with depression. While the symptoms – sadness, fatigue, etc. – can often overlap, there are important differences between being upset or down and being truly depressed.
Depression is common and often debilitating. Sadness and fatigue can really take a toll on your health.
Depression is a mood disorder that is often debilitating. It’s extremely common, affecting around 350 million people around the world at any given moment. The percentage of Americans who take antidepressants is skyrocketing.
The extent of the problem is probably even larger than the statistics suggest. Sometimes we don’t recognize depression symptoms, or we write them off as just being sad or down in the dumps. And although the stigma surrounding mental health has eased over the years, it still persists.
Symptoms of Depression
The first step to improved mental health is getting an accurate assessment of the issue at hand.
Depression can be tricky because it affects individuals differently. While we all experience similar sensations when we’re hungry, for instance, things are more nuanced with mental health.
While there are a few “classic” depression symptoms, there’s no guarantee you’ll experience them in your own struggle. The last thing you want to do is overlook the problem just because you don’t see the stereotypical warning signs.
With that in mind, here’s a list of common and uncommon depression symptoms. Some of them might surprise you.
1. Chronic Disruptions in Sleep Patterns and Fatigue
Tossing and turning for a few nights is one thing. But if you notice long-term changes in your sleep patterns (whether it’s a lot more or a lot less sleep than normal), you might be depressed.
One study found that about three-quarters of depressed people have insomnia symptoms, which is troubling because insomnia even in non-depressed persons is a risk factor for developing depression later on. In other words, it can become a vicious cycle.
2. Neglected Hygiene and Personal Appearance
Depression can translate into neglected hygiene and personal appearance. You might stop showering, getting haircuts, and shaving as often as you used to. When you’re exhausted and at your limit just trying to cope with the day, concerns about things like wearing wrinkled or stained clothing can fall by the wayside.
Have you stopped bothering to shower or brush your teeth? You might be dealing with depression.
Data from over 10,000 health and nutrition surveys revealed a connection between depression and poor dental health. This connection was also “dose dependent,” which means the severity of the dental problems increased with the severity of the depression.
A study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry tracked over 2,000 elderly participants for nine years and found that depressive symptoms were “significant predictors” of self-neglect.
3. Chronic Aches and Pains
The mental anguish of depression often coincides with physical pain. If you find yourself in pain regularly, whether it’s headaches, cramps, or even digestive problems, depression might be a factor. According to the World Health Organization, a staggering 75 percent of depressed people suffer from chronic pain.
You can’t base a depression analysis on physical pain alone, but that’s what often gets people off the couch and into their doctor’s office. Many depressed people see general practitioners with complaints of physical pain alone. Because the mental symptoms can be more subtle, physical pain is a good starting point for a more thorough medical diagnosis.
A big thing to watch out for is a decreased ability to cope with pain. If you’ve dealt with chronic pain in the past, but now you’re suddenly much less able to bear it, that could indicate depression. One study even found that depressed people’s brains indicated more emotion and less coping response than normal as they anticipated pain.
4. Apathy
It’s easy to associate “depression” with sadness, helplessness, and despair. But it can also manifest in an entirely different outlook: apathy.
You might find yourself not getting excited about things like you used to, or coming across as cold or aloof in your relationships. Persistent apathy is especially troublesome.
A study published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology measured the apathy and depression of 266 people aged 60 and up. After two years of follow-up, the researchers concluded that participants with persistent apathy were less likely to recover from depression than those who had short periods of apathy or weren’t apathetic.
5. Anger, Short Tempers, and Foul Moods
Depression can drive people to lash out irrationally. They aren’t happy anymore. They find themselves getting furious over the smallest slights, or displacing their anger on innocent loved ones.
A 2013 study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry systematically tracked the same group of depressed people for decades and found that about 55 percent of them reported feeling angry, hostile, grumpy, and foul-tempered.
This hostility manifested in poor impulse control (expressing anger over minor slights, like getting cut off in traffic) as well as an increased severity of hostile responses (breaking a dish or screaming during a minor argument, for instance).
6. Internet, Gambling, Shopping, or Other Addictions
Depression can drive numerous addictions as people try to escape from reality and chase short-term highs.
Internet addiction can be especially troubling because it’s so easy to surf through endless content and substitute virtual interactions for real ones. It’s a separate issue from depression, though studies have found a significant correlation between depression, low self-esteem, and Internet addiction.
Psychologists from Leeds University in the U.K. also found that Internet addicts (only about 1.2 percent of the people they surveyed) had a higher incidence of moderate to severe depression than normal users.
7. Increased Alcohol Use
Having a glass of wine with dinner is one thing, but it might turn into three or four if you’re depressed. People often turn to alcohol (or other drugs) in an effort to boost their mood and address depressive symptoms. But this can backfire.
While alcohol might help you “loosen up” and feel happier for a few hours, the escape is temporary. The terrible health consequences of excessive drinking, on the other hand, are all too real.
One longitudinal study with around 10 years of follow-up found that poor mental health fueled increases in alcohol consumption. Another study found that comorbidity of alcohol use disorders and major depression is “pervasive” in the general population.
8. Significant Weight and Appetite Fluctuations
Not everyone who experiences changes in weight and appetite is depressed, but for those who are, the effects can be dramatic.
Depression affects people in different ways, either skyrocketing your appetite and weight gain or dwindling it to a fraction of its former self.
Depression can show itself in the form of either overeating OR undereating.
You might also find yourself facing stronger cravings for unhealthy comfort foods for their short-term boost or succumbing to emotional eating.
9. Thoughts of Suicide and/or Suicide Attempts
In the most serious cases, depression can lead to thoughts of suicide or even suicide attempts. Numerous studies have explored just how severe a risk factor depression is in suicide and suicide attempts.
One even found it was the “most significant psychiatric risk factor” associated with adolescent suicide. It’s also a serious issue for the elderly. Fortunately, clinical intervention can significantly reduce suicidal ideation in depressed geriatric patients in primary care.
If you think you or someone you know is at this point, pick up the phone right away and call a suicide prevention hotlines to get the free, confidential help you need. You can explore numerous options by location here.
Different Types of Depression
We’ve just seen how differently depression can affect us. Your depression won’t look or feel exactly like anyone else’s.
Depression is an umbrella term for a host of different mood disorders, and some are more serious than others. Here’s a quick rundown of the different types of depression from the National Institute of Mental Health – and how they might affect you.
Major Depression (also called Major Depressive Disorder, Chronic Major Depression, or Unipolar Depression). This is a serious form of depression that can interfere with your ability to work, sleep, eat, and enjoy life. Some people just experience one Major Depressive episode while others experience ongoing problems.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (also called Dysthymia). This is a depressed mood that lasts for two years or more. There might be sporadic periods of Major Depressive episodes mixed in with less severe periods. The key is chronic, consistent symptoms.
Perinatal Depression. Women with perinatal depression experience Major Depressive episodes during pregnancy, after giving birth, or both. The symptoms can be serious enough to interfere with their ability to care for themselves and/or their newborns.
Psychotic Depression. This is essentially depression plus a form of psychosis, such as having delusions or experiencing hallucinations. The nature of the psychosis is usually depressive in nature, leading to feelings of guilt, fear, and shame.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is a seasonal depression that typically strikes in the winter, when the days are short and sunlight exposure scarce. Sufferers can use light therapy to elevate their moods until the seasons change.
Causes of Depression
Depression is more complicated than most other conditions because so many elements are involved. Its roots can usually be traced to a mixture of these three things:
Brain chemistry. There is still a ton of research to be done here, but researchers believe numerous factors within certain people’s brains (nerve cell connections, hippocampus size, etc.) leave them susceptible to depression.
Genetics. A family history of depression increases the likelihood of experiencing depression.
Stressful events. Things like financial troubles, divorce, or the loss of a loved one can potentially trigger depression.
Natural Treatments for Depression
Journal
Believe it or not, a pen and paper (or a computer document) is one of the most powerful tools in your depression-busting toolbox.
It takes a little while to build the journaling habit, but it can be an amazingly cathartic experience. Sometimes just writing down your thoughts – then closing the page – can help ease the burden of carrying them around all day.
There aren’t any rigid rules to follow. Just spend a few minutes each day writing down your experiences. What did you do? How did you feel? What did you eat? Did you exercise? Journaling your thoughts every day can help gain insight into your depression – and boost your mood.
One study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and found that simply writing down negative emotional images diminished the response of the amygdala and other limbic regions.
Your journal is also an incredibly useful tool you can flip through to identify patterns of behavior that might be making your depression better or worse. And you can empower your doctor with more information to devise the best possible treatment.
Diet
Your diet has a huge effect on your mental health. It can be tempting to reach for the unhealthy foods when you’re already feeling blue. But that just makes the problems even worse.
Start with a healthy Paleo foundation of quality produce, animal protein, and seeds and nuts.
Avoid sugars at all costs. Consistent sugar consumption creates insulin resistance in the body, which can lead to a host of serious health problems.
One study even found a positive connection between increased insulin resistance and depression symptoms! Avoid sugar and take probiotics or vitamin D supplements when you’re feeling depressed.
Stay away from processed hydrogenated fats and focus on healthy fats instead.
Studies have found depressed patients tend to have much higher omega-6 fatty acid (often found in processed foods) to omega-3 fatty acid ratios. You can get your fill of healthy omega-3s by eating more wild-caught seafood. If you don’t like the taste of seafood, consider taking fish oil supplements.
Pay more attention to probiotics. Only now are scientists truly starting to grasp the connections between a healthy gut and a healthy mind. You can increase your amount of healthy gut bacteria by consuming more probiotic foods, like sauerkraut and microalgae, as well as taking daily probiotic supplements.
Last but not least, vitamin D levels have a big impact on your mood. Most of us are deficient because we work indoors and don’t see much of the sun. Consider picking up a high-quality vitamin D supplement. One study found that supplements could play a pivotal role as a “simple and cost-effective solution” for people at risk for depression.
Exercise
It’s hard to beat the feeling of a runner’s high, but the idea of committing to a strenuous exercise program can be overwhelming for people with depression. Many of them are exhausted, sedentary, and have little motivation to meet recommended exercise guidelines.
Fortunately, it only takes a minimal amount of activity to experience significant mood improvements. A meta-analysis (review of numerous scientific studies) found that just walking at a moderate pace for 20 minutes three times a week is enough to “significantly reduce symptoms of depression”.
The key is to start slowly and not bite off more than you can chew. You could start walking for 10 minutes three times weekly, and bump up the time once you have the frequency down.
Stress Management
Even as we try to fight our depression, we inevitably face more pressure from our jobs, relationships, and other obligations.
We might not feel stressed out. But that doesn’t mean the daily grind isn’t affecting our bodies and minds. Left unchecked, this kind of chronic stress can lead to more serious depressive episodes.
Many of us don’t give stress management its fair due. And that’s a shame, when it’s been proven that things as straightforward as yoga, meditation, and cognitive therapy boost our moods.
How you do this is completely up to you. There are so many things that can reduce stress. The best thing you can do is pick something you love and stick to regularly – even if it’s just a few minutes.
Sleep
Feeling fatigued all the time is one of the most unbearable things about depression. Fortunately, if you take care of your diet, exercise, and stress, you’ll make it easier to get the shuteye you need.
Two of the biggest sleep disruptors are caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine affects your body for longer than you might feel it.
One study found just a moderate coffee dose six hours before bedtime still had “important disruptive effects” on sleep. So it’s definitely something to consider cutting out completely – or at least limiting your caffeine intake to the morning hours.
Alcohol can also decrease sleep quality. One study used an EEG to measure participants’ sleeping brainwave patterns. The researchers found that just a single nightcap increased delta and alpha brain activity. Those dual-activity patterns have been linked to daytime drowsiness, waking up tired, and increased headaches and irritability.
Sleep quality is also hugely important. What can you do to create a better sleep environment? Think about getting some blackout curtains for your bedroom windows, and don’t interact with screens for at least an hour or two before bed to avoid exposure to blue light. You can even try a simple bedtime ritual. Reading a few pages of fiction with a cup of herbal tea eases my stress and makes it easier to fall asleep.
Your Mental Health Is Worth It
The first step to beating depression is to recognize that you are not alone. Far from it. Millions of people are coping with it as you read this post.
You can track how your feel and take action to improve your symptoms naturally. Supplementing with other treatment options, like psychotherapy or antidepressant medication, might be the best move for you. But you have the power to lay a solid foundation through diet and lifestyle.
Don’t be afraid to speak to a doctor or reach out to your family and friends for support. Your mental health is worth it.
Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths. Feel free to stop by his website or say hello on Twitter.
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