Anxiety and depression affect millions of people worldwide and the numbers seem to be increasing in today’s world. Symptoms can range from mild to extremely debilitating. While medication and therapy may be helpful and necessary for some people, there are also natural ways to improve your mental health and well-being.
Here are 7 natural ways that you can improve how you feel on a regular basis:
One of the most effective ways to improve your mood is to exercise. Even just a 15 minute walk can help reduce stress and improve your mood.
Exercise has been well studied and proven to release endorphins, which are natural chemicals produced by your body that produce feelings of happiness and euphoria. The next time you feel “off”, move your body. Even a little movement will help! In addition, start adding some exercise into your daily routine.
Start with something and gradually increase it over time. Exercise can be anything: dancing, doing pushups, walking, hiking, bicycling, going to the gym, taking a yoga class, etc. Pick something and start 🙂 Get a buddy or hire a personal trainer if you need some help.
We have written prior articles upon this and it is well worth mentioning here. Focusing on the present moment is a powerful way to promote a sense of calm and relaxation. These practices are a proven way to help manage symptoms of both anxiety and depression.
Simply 5 minutes a day of meditation can be helpful to enhance your mood. Remind yourself to look and listen to the things that are around you at each moment, vs worrying about the future or past, can be calming and rejuvenation. Writing each morning in a gratitude journal a few things that you are grateful for is an easy thing to start doing and will help you to be more mindful as well as focus on the good that is in your life.
There are many books available on mindfulness and different meditation programs to download. Dr. Joe Dispenza is our personal favorite and he has some wonderful guided meditations on his site that you can purchase and some incredible courses that you can attend in person or online.
If you would like one on one help with mindfulness, meditation, or creating a positive routine for yourself, reach out to Nancy Chase (aka Holguin) our Wellness Partner Hypnotherapist or John Grant our Wellness Partner Results Coach.
Yes, nutrition is the key to everything! What you eat truly does create who you are–both inside and out. Eating healthy whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish, eggs, etc., can help improve your mood and help you to feel better. Whereas eating a lot of processed foods and sugars can make you feel worse.
Adjust your mindset so that you focus on eating to live versus living to eat. Pay attention to the food that you are putting into your body and how they make you feel. This will help you to avoid the foods that adversely affect your mood (and physical body). Foods can heal your mind and body.
If you would like one on one help with improving your nutrition, we are happy to announce the addition of Matt Soper, a new Wellness Partner for nutrition coaching.
Getting adequate sleep plays a crucial role in overall mental health. Ensure that your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet. Go to bed at a decent time so that you can get adequate sleep. Turn off your phone and avoid using electronics prior to going to sleep.
The lights from the electronic equipment (phones, TV’s, tablets, etc) can interfere with your body’s ability to fall asleep and get quality sleep. Having your phone on and disturbing you throughout the night is also a bad idea. Take the time to allow your brain to relax and get some rest at night.
You can take an epsom salt bath or play a guided meditation before bed to help calm your mind and go to sleep easier. You may also try drinking chamomille tea or taking a CBD supplement to assist you in sleeping more soundly. You will know you got enough sleep when you wake up refreshed and don’t really need an alarm to get up.
Aromatherapy involves using essential oils for a variety of medical reasons, including anxiety and depression. The oils can be inhaled via a specialized nasal inhaler, applied to your skin directly, put into a spritzer that is sprayed on or around you, or the oils can be diffused into the air that you breathe.
If you would like professional guidance on using your essential oils or would like a custom blend prepared for you, contact Sharon Mayberry, our Wellness Partner Certified Clinical Aromatherapist.
While a healthy diet is essential, there are a variety of natural supplements that can assist you in calming your brain and enhancing your mood.
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fats that the body can not produce on its own and a deficiency has been linked to anxiety and depression.
B vitamins are essential for brain function and mental health, especially B6, B9, and B12.
Vitamin D helps your body to create healthy strong bones and boosts your overall immunity as well as acting as a wonderful mood enhancer.
Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a role in regulating our moods.
Ashwaganda is an herb that assists your body in lowering cortisol (stress hormone) levels which can lead to an improved moods.
These are just a few of the supplements that can assist you in achieving a great night’s sleep.
When your hormones are out of balance, it can cause you to feel moody and irritable, anxious, and/or depressed. Balancing your hormones can improve your mood and help you to sleep more soundly, among other things.
Testosterone is one of mother nature’s best mood enhancers for both men and women and Progesterone is an excellent natural calming hormone. Ensure that you are taking your hormones as prescribed. If you feel that your hormones are not balanced properly, please contact our office to have this corrected with bio-identical hormone balancing.
There is a a bonus 8th way to minimize anxiety and depression that we must add here. Utilizing the Biocharger machine has been shown to painlessly reduce anxiety and depression. This machine works with 4 of mother nature’s energies: PEMF, light, sound (frequency and harmonics), and voltage. You can try it out at our office or purchase a machine for your personal use directly from the company.
We could keep adding to the list but these are the top natural treatment therapies that we have seen work well in our patients. Anxiety and depression do not have to control your life. It is important to remember that everyone’s experience with anxiety and depression is different and some remedies work better for some people better than others. Try different things and see what works best for you. Focus on putting your health first and seek help and guidance when needed.