Important Facts About Depression

    

• Depression ranks second to schizophrenia in terms of admission to hospitals in the US.

• Depression has been recognized as a clinical syndrome for over 2,000 years.

• The chief complaint by depressed people often points to the diagnosis of depression.

• Depression is considered the leading cause of disability worldwide.

                                                                  
Depression as we know it today has been called "melancholia" since the ancient times. 

If you are currently suffering from this disorder I want to tell you that up to this day, there is no definite explanation or answers to many questions that you might have regarding the disorder. 

Even the experts have not found the exact answers to all your questions. For example, some of the questions that might be bugging you are:

• Is the depression you are experiencing merely your over reaction to a particular mood?

• Is it a kind of disease or is it merely your reaction to certain stimulus?

• What could be the most effective treatment for your type of depression?

• Can this depression you're experiencing be attributed to your biological or psychological condition? 

Some medical experts says that depression is a psychogenic disorder which means that it is caused by emotional and mental stress, some say it is an organic disorder and a third group say it is both.

Regardless what's causing your depression, here are 7 things that can worsen Depression

• Lack of sleep
• Stress
• Certain food
• Memories
• Negative people
• Social networks
• Media 

Try to avoid them and you will be able to somehow properly deal with your sickness.

Lack of Sleep

Sleeping  habits that can help ease your depression 

1. Strictly follow a consistent sleeping schedule. 

Go to bed early and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays, or days off to regulate your body’s internal clock. You should strictly stick to this!

2. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine 

Engage in calming activities before bed such as reading, gentle stretching, or meditation to signal your body that it’s time to sleep. This is especially true when you were busy the whole day and the energy extends after working hours. 

Avoid using your phone, tablet, and other gadgets or watch TV at least an hour before bed, as the blue light can interfere with melatonin production. 

3. Make Your Sleeping Environment Comfortable and Inviting 

Use comfortable mattress and pillows that support restful sleep. 

Make your bedroom dark (consider blackout curtains) and quiet (use earplugs or white noise machines) to create an ideal sleep environment. 

Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature, ideally between 60-67°F (15-19°C). 

4. Be Mindful of What You Eat and Drink 

Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening, as it can disrupt your ability to sleep. 

Try not to eat large meals or spicy foods within a few hours of bedtime as they can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep. 

5. Incorporate Physical Activity 

Engage in regular physical activity during the day, but avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime as it may energize you and make it harder to sleep. 

6. Manage Stress and Anxiety 

Practice mindfulness, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises to reduce stress and promote relaxation before bed. 

Consider writing down thoughts or worries in a journal to clear your mind and reduce anxiety before sleeping. Expressing your thoughts, your feelings, anger, frustration, and other negative thoughts greatly helps. You should also include the positive ones. Doing so would release the feel good hormones!

7. If you need to take a nap, keep it short, about 20 to 30 minutes. 
Avoid napping late in the day so it does not interfere with your regular night time sleep schedule. 

8. Seek Professional Help 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): If your sleep problems persist, consider seeking therapy specifically designed to address insomnia, which can be effective in managing both sleep and depression. Consult your family physician for the appropriate therapy.

Stress

Another thing that makes your depression worse is STRESS.

Health experts describe stress as the body's physical and mental response to the many challenges we face in daily life.

We experience stress when we perceive that that demands of a situation is beyond our capacity to respond or cope with these demands. 

The short episodes of stress that you experience can be considered positive. It motivates you to achieve something worthwhile, it gives you energy, and helps you avoid potential danger. 

Stress becomes an issue when it is prolonged, severe, and when you're not able to appropriately cope with the stressful situation. 

When you are stressed out, the body releases the hormones adrenaline and cortisol considered harmful to the body. 

These hormones increase heart rate, blood pressure, and causes muscle manifested as worry, irritability, and not able to focus on any activity. 

These are the reasons why when you are stressed, you experience a mix of different emotions. You worry a lot, you become restless, your heart beats faster, you cannot eat, you're out of focus and you cannot sleep.

Certain Types of Food

When you are feeling down avoid these types of food, as much as possible: 

• processed food such as processed meat and cold cuts  
• food high in sugar and artificial sweeteners 
• trans fats found in fried and frozen food 
• French fries, and most of those served in fast food restaurants.

Too much sugar causes inflammation in the body disrupting brain and gut health, the same with processed food and those that contain trans fats. 

When a part of your body is inflamed, chemicals like serotonin, prostaglandins, and bradykinin directly stimulates pain receptors causing pain in the body making you more depressed and downtrodden.

So, better avoid too much sweet when you are feeling down, sad, and lonely. Also try to eat food that is prepared at home.