How to resist depression and autumn blues

Posted onApril 21, 2019

Summer is coming to an end, which means that it is not far off the mountains, gloomy days and autumn bad weather. Seasonal   depression and a bad mood are frequent satellites of this time of year. We will tell m how to organize their lives to be saved from autumn melancholy and always be in good shape.

Sleep and the beginning of the day

A good mood depends on how the night is spent. Full sleep restores strength, fills with vigor and energy, which contributes to a joyful attitude. But sleepy person rarely meet in the morning with a smile on his face. For each there is its own rate of the duration of a night’s sleep, but on average, this figure ranges from 7-9 hours. With regard to the time of bedtime, experts advise to listen to your body and go to bed at the first symptoms of fatigue and drowsiness. No interesting activity can replace a healthy night’s rest, which results in a good state of health and optimism in the morning.

To sleep was healthy, evening classes should be as relaxed and soothing as possible. Therefore, in the evening it is worth refusing:

  • showdowns;
  • solving production problems;
  • viewing unbalanced shows or movies;
  • the use of gadgets, the blue radiation from which stimulates the brain;
  • sports and hard physical work;
  • alcohol;
  • heavy and plentiful food.

The ideal lesson before bedtime is reading a book in a dim light. If it is impossible to abandon the computer or tablet, it is recommended to dim the screen brightness.

Good well-being and cheerful mood are just as important to properly organize the start of the day. Psychologists do not advise starting the morning with social networking and news. Light exercise will help you get a boost of energy, starting with sipping in bed, pleasant music and a hearty breakfast. A great addition to this can be fresh air (walk or just walk to work).

Walking and Exercise

Fresh air, physical activity and sunlight are indispensable conditions for successfully resisting depression and depression. Numerous studies have shown that vitamin D, which is synthesized by the body under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, improves mood. Therefore, it is useful to expose the exposed parts of the body to the sun: face, hands, forearms. On average, 10–15 minutes of exposure to the sun three times a week is considered a sufficient dose for the synthesis of the required amount of vitamin D by an adult’s body. Under the influence of daylight, another important substance for a good mood is produced – a neurotransmitter.   serotonin, which is called the hormone of happiness. It improves the quality of sleep, has a beneficial effect on all body systems and effectively fights depression symptoms. With a lack of daylight in the autumn-winter period, experts recommend bright artificial lighting of the premises.

In addition to sunlight, fresh air and especially physical activity under the open sky have a positive effect on mood. Even simple slow walks are useful. Oxygen optimizes the work of the heart and blood vessels, strengthens the immune system, improves digestion and metabolism.Communication with nature relieves nervous tension, anxiety and stress, calms.

Exercise in the fresh air (sports, cycling, hiking, dancing or working in the garden) not only improves one’s health and energizes, sadness and worries disappear, and problems no longer seem insurmountable. Some researchers argue that motor activity is just as effective in treating depression as is medication. And this is not surprising, since physical efforts contribute to the release of endorphins, which can lead a person into a state of euphoria.

Nutrition: mood enhancing foods

When the light day decreases, the weather worsens and walks become rare, and proper nutrition will help replenish the supplies necessary to maintain a good mood. A certain choice of products allows you to prevent the shortage of these substances.

  • Vitamin D can be found in fish oil, fish liver and fish itself. The most valuable in this respect are herring, mackerel, cod, red fish. Smaller amounts of vitamin D are found in meat, hard cheeses, butter, and dairy products.
  • The synthesis of serotonin contributes to the use of foods containing tryptophan. These include: chocolate, turkey, rabbit, chicken, cheese and dairy products, nuts, legumes, mushrooms, bananas, dried fruits.
  • Vitamins and minerals are needed to improve the absorption of tryptophan. These are, above all, the B vitamins (oatmeal, buckwheat, brewer’s yeast, liver and seafood), as well as potassium, magnesium, zinc, which are considered to be anti-stress minerals. They are in large quantities in combination with the necessary vitamins found in vegetables and fruits (dried fruits, pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, peaches, potatoes).

To maintain vigor and good mood, it is important to ensure that food is complete, contains all food groups. It is unacceptable to starve even if you want to lose weight. The body in such a situation lacks the nutrients necessary for normal functioning, which worsens health and inevitably adversely affects the state of mind. It has long been proven, moreover, that weight loss diets do not provide the desired results in the long term. More useful is moderation and a decrease in caloric intake as a permanent condition, as well as physical   exercises.

Positive psychology against symptoms of depression

Finding positive qualities, hidden resources and developing them is another powerful way to prevent depression and depression. Representatives of the positive   psychology   One of these hidden resources is creativity and the desire to help others. Depression does not threaten anyone who is immersed in an interesting business or caring for loved ones. Goodwill, the desire to help, comfort, encourage the needy at least with a word or a smile are absolutely necessary for the mental well-being of a person. In addition, giving their warmth or sharing something material, giving not only feels moral satisfaction, but also receives a positive response in the form of recognition, gratitude or joy.

In accordance with the ideas of positive psychology, another way to form a good mood is to develop the skill of fixing the positive moments of everyday life. It is necessary to learn to stop your attention on them, to enjoy them, to rejoice in them, to keep them in your own memory. Also a very important quality for feeling the joy of being is the ability to smile and laugh. The researchers claim that under stress or despondency, 60 seconds of laughter is enough to begin the work of the brain to reduce the production of stress hormones and improve mood. Moreover, this effect, as scientists say, occurs even if a person forces himself to smile or laugh against his own desire. With the approach of autumn you should not give in to sadness, you just need to revise your habits and continue to enjoy life.

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