5 ways to beat depression

Do you find some mornings you leap out of bed, while other days you just want to hide under the duvet? With some simple strategies using diet, exercise and emotional support, every day can be happier

Our mood is a combination of how much energy we have and how positive we feel – it reflects our physical and mental wellbeing and how much we can do. When I ask patients how they’re feeling, I’m just as interested in their mood as their physical health because, if their mood is low, or they are feeling depressed, their physical health will also be affected – mainly because they may lack motivation to take exercise or eat well. This becomes a vicious circle; if you don’t eat well you have less energy and your mood dips further, making it harder to motivate yourself to eat well and take more exercise.

There is always a reason for your mood, so if you’re feeling low it’s important to try to look at why you feel the way you do, rather than just accepting it. Once you know why you’re feeling depressed, you can target the cause using the five steps below. A comprehensive lifestyle approach will have other health and ‘feelgood’ benefits, making mood swings far more manageable.

1 Eat happy
Many of us use foods to manage our moods. Like drugs, foods can be either ‘uppers’ or ‘downers’. Lots of us are comfort-eaters, using fatty and sugary foods for emotional comfort and overeating in response to low mood.

Sugary foods give us an instant-high energy lift, but soon after cause a drop in blood sugar that lowers our mood even more. So it’s important instead to keep your blood sugar on an even keel. If you find yourself craving a sugary snack, ask yourself, ‘How will I feel after I have eaten this?’ rather than, ‘What will it taste like?’. Better choices are wholegrain (or complex carbohydrates) such as brown bread, rice, crispbreads, oatcakes – all foods that take a long time to be absorbed by the body and give a steady stream of energy. Eating frequent small meals also helps moderate mood.
Nutrients associated with mood-stabilising include:

Omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that decreased levels of omega-3s are linked with depression and other mental health conditions. Oily fish, nuts and seeds, and green leafy vegetables are all good sources.
B vitamins, particularly B6 (found in wholegrains, pulses, orange juice and lean meat). These vitamins, as well as zinc (found in beef, chicken, pork, chickpeas and brazil nuts), are needed to make serotonin, one of the brain’s natural ‘feelgood’ substances.
Vitamin C, which helps turn tryptophan (an essential amino acid) into serotonin. You can get vitamin C from your 5-a-day, particularly citrus fruits.
Magnesium and calcium are a great combination – they work together for healthy nerve function to reduce anxiety. You can find magnesium in greens, nuts, pulses, seeds, fish, dried fruit and bananas; while sardines, pulses, nuts, bread, greens and soya milk all contain calcium.

2 Get active
The charity Depression Alliance recommends exercising at least three times a week for 45 minutes to one hour doing whatever you enjoy. It’s important to choose something you like to keep you motivated. Start as soon as possible because the positive effects on mood begin as early as the first session. The effect is quick because physical activity promotes the production of endorphins, the brain’s natural ‘feelgood’ chemicals, usually within 20 minutes. Scheduling regular activity with another person or a group will motivate you if you start feeling down – just when you might otherwise stop doing the things that benefit you.

Just getting outdoors and walking in a green environment can start you on your route to exercise. Research from mental health charity Mind shows more than 70 per cent of people with depression feel less blue after a simple ‘green’ walk.

3 Stabilise stress
Raised levels of the stress hormone cortisol may contribute to depression. People who are under prolonged stress are at risk of becoming exhausted and subsequently depressed. Cortisol also decreases the action of enzymes needed for the body to use mood-stabilising omega-3 fats.

Under stress we may overeat, which causes weight gain and lowered self-esteem. And alcohol depresses your mood and immune system. Long-term use of stimulants such as coffee, tea and caffeinated drinks will keep you awake and disrupt sleep patterns. Try to switch to herbal teas.
Music can help. It alters your brain waves and encourages more positive thoughts. Studies have shown music can have a beneficial effect on mental health.

4 Emotional aid

Everybody needs to talk about their feelings and engage with other people. Ask your GP about referral to a psychotherapist for a ‘talking therapy’ such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – this is helpful with or without anti-depressants or other medications. Self-help groups, either locally or online, can also be extremely supportive.

An activity such as yoga or dance that engages body and mind can work wonders, especially with the social interaction of joining a class or group.
In mental health assessment tests, face-to-face interaction with friends, family and children lowers depression scores. One study showed that single women with children who had someone to rely on were less likely to become depressed than women without support.

5 Beliefs and ideas
Try to learn to challenge your negative thoughts and beliefs about yourself. Ask yourself what evidence you have to support those thoughts when your inner voice is being critical of you. If you can challenge the beliefs you hold that you are useless/incompetent/unattractive – and all the other negative thoughts you have when you feel low, you will begin to change those beliefs and build greater self-esteem.

If you need professional help to change your negative thoughts and any unhelpful behaviour, talk to your GP.

Using the five steps above will help you feel calmer and more positive. Over time you will find you can set yourself goals for the future and achieve them.

For more information and advice on depression, including details of useful publications, visit www.depressionalliance.org. Visit Mind’s website at www.mind.org.uk.

Nature’s anti-depressants

St John’s wort* is believed to help relieve mild to moderate depression. Although the action of the herb is not fully understood it seems to keep brain serotonin and dopamine in balance to stabilise mood.
Essential oils† such as clary sage and ylang ylang are often recommended by aromatherapists and herbalists for their traditional use in relieving stress and anxiety.

Expert: Dr Liz Miller
Dr Liz Miller is a GP and a psychologist, and co-founder of the Doctor’s support Network for fellow medics who, like her, suffer from depression. She has a special interest in psychology and mental health.

Compiled by: Janette Marshall