Tips for reducing depression

Today more and more people find themselves suffering with depression.  Regardless as to why you may feel depressed, there are some simple ways in which you can significantly reduce your depression.  Here are 5 tips to help you begin reducing your depression today:

1. Don't spend time reading the newspaper or watching television.  After all, newspapers and news shows simply publish negative articles the majority of the time.  They tell you about the worst part of humanity and display negative stories in order to promote their sales and gain more subscribers.  Reading stories about war, rebellion, death, destruction, doom and despair only serve to place negative input into your head.  If you are feeling depressed, then this is the last thing that you need to be filling your head with.  After all, watching horrible news will only add to your depression and feelings of helplessness (what actually allows depression to nurture). 

2. Make sure that you say eliminate negative self-talk.  Say only nice things about other people as well.  Remember the old adage, "if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all?"  Well this is still true today.  So, the next time that someone says something that isn't nice about someone else, take a moment to add something positive about that person to the conversation.  By setting yourself up to find something positive in what goes on around you, you will be better equipped to keep negative thoughts out of your head, which will in turn keep depression out of your life.

3. Get out of the house and get some physical exercise and sun.  If you are currently suffering from depression, then you may have forgotten about exercising and getting some sunlight.  Studies have also shown that exercise and sunlight not only improve you health, but they improve your attitude as well.  So get out of the house and go for a 20-minute walk. 

4. Take a deep breath and relax.  Take the time to go on a short mental vacation.  This will help you to feel better, no matter what life throws at you.

5. There are definitely some foods that you should not eat, even if they may taste great.  For instance, caffeine and alcohol play a significant role in mood and can make your mood swings more pronounced.  For this reason, they should be avoided.  Other foods that should be avoided include sugar, fats, and starch.  Additives such as artificial sweeteners, artificial dyes, and preservatives should also be avoided.  Not only do these foods make a person fat and sick, they can also make a person feel depressed.

6. Water plays a very important role in combating depression and improving a person's mood.  Doctors recommend that a person drink at least 40 ounces of water each day.  However, if you drink soda or coffee, you should increase your water intake.  This is because caffeine acts as a diuretic and steals water from the body.

Of course there are other things you can do as well.  For instance Omega 3 fatty acids and St John's Wort also help in the fight of depression.  However, the above 6 ideas are low cost ways in which you can easily begin to fight off depression today.

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