Lifestyle Changes That May Help You Manage Depression

Depression, or major depressive disorder, is a serious mental health disorder that affects almost 300 million people around the world. Many common mental and physical symptoms of clinical depression—like lack of energy, low mood, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed—can impact daily life in a significant way. When this happens, it can help to use research-based coping strategies for dealing with depression in addition to seeking professional treatment.

While some types of talk therapy—such as psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, or cognitive behavioral therapy––sometimes in combination with medication is typically the first-line treatment for depression, making certain changes to your daily routines could also help you manage symptoms. Below, we’ll discuss common lifestyle changes that you can implement in conjunction with professional treatment to potentially reduce symptoms of major depressive disorder and manage stress more effectively.

Lifestyle changes for managing depression

There are many reasons people may focus on lifestyle changes when addressing mental health conditions like depression. Some adults aren't comfortable taking medication and would rather utilize behavior-based approaches alongside therapeutic treatment. Others may simply want to supplement medication and psychotherapy with methods that they can practice at home or when they aren't in individual or family therapy sessions. If you experience depression, the following lifestyle changes might be helpful for you.

Note that the best methods for addressing major depressive disorder can vary somewhat from individual to individual, so you might find that some of the following tips work better than others. Take note of what works for you and then consider creating a daily or weekly routine that incorporates several different methods for coping with fatigue, feeling exhausted, and improving energy levels.

Maintain balanced eating patterns

Providing your body and brain with important nutrients can give you additional energy and help you manage your mood. Plus, research suggests a link between typical Western eating patterns—which often feature processed foods that are heavy in refined sugar and fat—and depression, or major depressive disorder. Consider maintaining balanced eating habits that are based around fresh vegetables and fruits, lean meats like fish or chicken if any, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Meal prepping can be an effective way of incorporating healthy foods into your life more easily. For example, batching nutrient-rich meals ahead of time may make it easier to maintain your desired eating patterns throughout the week. Be sure to consult a nutritionist before significantly altering your eating patterns.

Build strong social connections

To expand your network of social connections, consider volunteering, joining clubs, picking up a new interest or hobby, or trying to reconnect with old friends. You could also look for a local depression support group, which can put you in contact with people who are experiencing similar challenges. 

Practice self-care

Providing yourself with compassion and tending to your own needs is important, especially when living with severe depression or trying to not worsen depression. A self-care routine is your opportunity to relax and do things that enrich your life and set you up for better health.  

Self-care can vary from person to person, but it may include things like meditation, journaling, reading, cooking, taking a bath, setting boundaries, limiting social media use, or almost anything else that promotes mental, emotional, and physical wellness. Consider keeping a habit tracker so that you can remember to practice self-care regularly for best results.

Eliminate or limit alcohol consumption

Research suggests that there appears to be a bidirectional relationship between alcohol use and depression, which means that they often occur together and that each can exacerbate symptoms of the other. Many people use alcohol as a way of coping with difficult-to-process emotions produced by depression, but this can make symptoms worse.  

If you’re living with depression, consider limiting your alcohol intake or abstaining altogether. A 2014 study suggests that the intensity of consumption was more of a factor in exacerbating symptoms of depression than the frequency of consumption, so avoiding binge drinking may be particularly important.  

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.

Get plenty of sleep

A good night’s sleep can boost your energy, immune system, and overall mood and potentially equip you to better manage symptoms of depression. That said, depression can also impact quality of sleep, which may create a compounding effect.  

If you’re experiencing poor sleep quality, consider practicing good sleep hygiene. For example, you might create a nighttime routine that helps you wind down. This can include reading, tending to personal hygiene, sipping herbal tea, and doing other things to prepare yourself for sleep. It can also be important to avoid screens for an hour before bedtime, as their blue light may affect your ability to fall asleep. 

Exercise

Research suggests physical activity as another way of potentially alleviating symptoms of depression, or major depressive disorder. When you’re physically active, your brain produces endorphins that can boost your mood. Exercise has also been suggested to have more long-term positive effects when it comes to depression. For example, consider a systematic review that indicates that walking, jogging, strength training, and yoga may be particularly effective forms of movement in treating depression. 

Consider creating a routine that will allow you to get regular physical activity. If you find that you have trouble getting motivated, it can help to have an exercise partner who can keep you accountable and help you stay consistent. 

Get into nature

Several studies have indicated that spending time in nature may help alleviate symptoms of depression. One suggests that individuals who walked in nature for an hour and a half showed decreased signs of depression compared to participants who walked through a traffic-dense urban area. Virtually any natural environment, whether it’s a city park, a community garden, a forest, or a backyard, may help people relax and improve mood. 

Practice mindfulness 

Mindfulness—the practice of fostering a sense of awareness and presence—has been suggested to provide mental health benefits to people who are living with depression. Mindfulness is about bringing your attention to present thoughts, feelings, and sensations with acceptance and without passing judgment, which may help you break negative, cyclical thought patterns you might have while experiencing depression.  

To practice mindfulness, sit or lie down in a relaxing position while taking deep breaths. Bring your attention to what’s going on internally and what you perceive around you. Identify your feelings (hunger, frustration, pain, happiness, etc.) and recognize your thoughts as they enter your head without judging them. Take note of how things look, smell, and feel. Slowing down and remaining present can help you relax and avoid ruminating on intrusive thoughts.  

How therapy can help

Again, talk therapy is typically a key component of treatment for depression. A therapist can evaluate your symptoms and provide a diagnosis––differentiating between major depression, depression as a result of seasonal changes, or depressive episodes of bipolar disorder, for example––and then provide treatment accordingly. If they think you may benefit from another type of treatment as well, such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or group therapy, they may also make these recommendations. 

That said, not everyone is able to seek the support of a therapist in person. A growing number of studies point to online therapy as another potentially effective way of addressing symptoms of depression in many cases.  

For example, findings of a long-term study of over 1,000 clinical patients who sought treatment for depression suggest that online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) significantly improved symptoms. Cognitive behavior therapy aims to help individuals reframe negative thought patterns that may lead to maladaptive behaviors or emotions, such as those often associated with a depressive disorder.  

With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you’ll have the ability to meet with a licensed therapist from the comfort of home through video call, voice call, and/or in-app messaging.