Depression affects people in many different ways. Some people feel angry and irritable, while others feel more sadness or simply feel numb. Some people eat more, some eat less. Some people have trouble sleeping, while others feel like sleeping all day. Almost always, though, I hear people tell me that they just don’t feel like they have the motivation to do anything, and they struggle to find joy. Everything, even the small things, feel like they are undertaking a colossal task. Medications and counseling are helpful in alleviating the symptoms of depression, and both should be given serious consideration because depression is, potentially, a very dangerous disorder. In addition to professional assistance, people want to know what they can do to help themselves. This blog series will concentrate on sleep, diet, and exercise.
First, get the right amount of sleep. Elementary school children should get 9-12 hours, teens should get 8-10 hours, and adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep. This is what is recommended, and it varies based on the quality of sleep a person gets as well. I frequently hear people tell me that they can’t sleep. This problem goes beyond feeling tired. Sleep helps regulate our blood pressure, heal and repair our bodies, increases our metabolism, strengthens our immune system, and decreases inflammation. People who get too little sleep have increased chances of high blood pressure, dementia, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. It has a big impact on our moods too, and depression symptoms are worsened by a lack of sleep.
The first things to figure out are what might be causing or contributing to a lack of sleep. For children, teens, and young adults screen time is often a major factor. If left to their own devices (pun intended) many young people will stay up very late playing games, watching videos, or interacting on social media. Staring at screens, they often don’t feel tired or ready for bed. The blue light can trick a person’s brain into thinking that it isn’t dark enough to be ready for sleep. Social media, videos, and video games are stimulating enough to make people feel less tired than they really are. For many people, gaining control of screen time is an important step, so shutting off screens at least an hour before the ideal bedtime is a good idea.
It is important to have a consistent bedtime. This can be hard to establish at first, but be patient. Most likely, your body will need a period of adjustment, and it may be hard to drift off to sleep for several nights. Limit caffeine and alcohol, especially late in the day. Consider practicing mindfulness. There are a lot of definitions for mindfulness. I think of it as specifically and intentionally focusing on something in the present. This is most commonly done by focusing on the breath or on the body. There are many mindfulness apps and resources, and many of them also have exercises that are specific to sleep.
Too much sleep is also a problem. Depressed individuals will often say that they don’t feel like getting up, or that they could sleep all day. If your sleeping exceeds the recommended number of hours, set an alarm. It will probably be excruciatingly difficult to get out of bed with the alarm, but this will become easier after a week, and easier still after 2-3 weeks. Related to this topic, how do you use your bed? If a person uses their bed only for sleep and being with their partner, tiredness will naturally be associated with laying in bed. If a person lays or sits on their bed frequently throughout the day, the bed becomes another place to park the body, not a place associated with sleep.
Think about your sleep patterns. Science hasn’t fully unlocked all of the mysteries of sleep, but we can say with confidence that it is vital for people to get the right amount of sleep in order to be healthy. If you feel the need to make some changes to your sleep schedule, you may not get the results you want right away, but stay persistent. Once you create a new pattern for yourself, it will get much easier. If nothing helps alleviate sleep problems, it might be time to talk to your doctor.