8 Tips to Help You Deal With Depression

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBuild a Support NetworkReduce Your StressImprove Your Sleep HygieneImprove Your Eating HabitsLearn How to Stop Negative ThoughtsBeat ProcrastinationGet a Handle on Your Household ChoresCreate a Wellness ToolboxNext in Depression GuideWhat to Know About Childhood Depression

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Build a Support Network

Reduce Your Stress

Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

Improve Your Eating Habits

Learn How to Stop Negative Thoughts

Beat Procrastination

Get a Handle on Your Household Chores

Create a Wellness Toolbox

Next in Depression Guide

Everything feels more challenging when you’re dealing withdepression. Going to work, socializing with friends, or even just getting out of bed can feel like a struggle.But there are some things you can do tocope with your depression symptomsand improve your quality of life. Read ahead for some tips to help alleviate symptoms.Build a Support NetworkOne of the most important things you can do to help yourself with depression—other than medication and therapy—is to developstrong social support.For some, this may mean forging stronger ties with friends or family. Knowing you can count on supportive loved ones to help can go a long way toward improving your depression.For others, a depression support group can be key.It may involve a community group that meets in your area or you might find an online support group that meets your needs.How to Help Someone Who Is DepressedReduce Your StressWhen you’re under stress, your body produces more of a hormone called cortisol. In the short-term, this is a good thing because it helps you gear up to cope with whatever is causing the stress in your life.Over the long run, however, it can cause many problems for you, including depression.The more you use techniques to reduce stress, the better because it will reduce your risk of becoming depressed.18 Tips to Help You Relieve StressImprove Your Sleep HygieneSleep and mood are intimately related. A 2014 study found that 80% of people withmajor depressive disorder experience sleep disturbances.But, you might feel like you just can’t fall asleep. Or perhaps you struggle to get out of bed because you feel exhausted all the time.Good sleep hygiene could be key to improving the quality and quantity of your sleep.Turn off electronics at least an hour before you go to bed. Use dim light to read a book or engage in another relaxing activity.Only use your bed for sleep and sexual activity. Doing work in bed, or even in your bedroom, can cause you to associate your bed with stress, rather than relaxation.How to Sleep BetterImprove Your Eating HabitsResearch continues to find clear links between diet and mental health. In fact, there have been so many studies that have shown improving nutrition can prevent and treat mental illness that nutritional psychiatry is becoming mainstream.There are many brain-essential nutrients that can affect depression. For example, a 2012 study found that zinc deficiency is associated with symptoms of depression.Improving your diet could be key to reducing your symptoms.But before you make any major changes to your diet or begin taking vitamins or supplements, talk with your physician.These Foods Can Help Boost Your MoodLearn How to Stop Negative ThoughtsDepression doesn’t just make you feel bad, it can also cause you to think more negatively. Changing those negative thoughts, however, can improve your mood.Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) is a type of therapy that works to alter common patterns of negative thinking called cognitive distortions in order to eliminate depression.There are also manyself-help books, apps, and online courses that can help you learn how to change your unhealthy thinking patterns.Beat ProcrastinationThe symptoms of depression, such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating, make procrastination tempting.Putting things off fuels depression. It can lead to increased guilt, worry, and stress.It’s important toset deadlines and manage your time well. Establish short-term goals and work hard to get the most important things done first. Each task you successfully complete will help you break through the habit of procrastination.5 Tips to Help You Stop ProcrastinatingGet a Handle on Your Household ChoresDepression can make it difficult to complete household chores, such as doing the dishes or paying bills.But a pile of paperwork, a stack of dirty dishes, and a floor covered in dirty clothes will only magnify your feelings of stress.Take control of your daily chores. Start small and work on one project at a time. Getting up and moving can help you start to feel better in itself. But,seeing your progress in the homecan be key to helping you feel better.7 Tips for Staying Motivated to Clean Your House When You Are DepressedCreate a Wellness ToolboxA wellness toolbox is a set of tools and actvities that you can use to help soothe yourself when you are feeling down.The tools you find most helpful might not work for someone else so it’s important to carefully consider what things can help you feel your best.What to Add to Your Wellness ToolboxThink of things you like to do when you’re happy. Then, when you’re feeling down, try one of those activities.Here are some things you might include in your wellness toolbox:Cuddle your petListen to your favorite musicTake a warm bathRead a bookGo for a walkCall a loved oneTake yourself out on a dateWatch a movie or tv seriesGrab one of your favorite cozy blankets and relaxWrite your thoughts down in ajournalTry a light therapy lampThe Best Depression Resources and Organizations for Support and Treatment

Everything feels more challenging when you’re dealing withdepression. Going to work, socializing with friends, or even just getting out of bed can feel like a struggle.

But there are some things you can do tocope with your depression symptomsand improve your quality of life. Read ahead for some tips to help alleviate symptoms.

One of the most important things you can do to help yourself with depression—other than medication and therapy—is to developstrong social support.

For some, this may mean forging stronger ties with friends or family. Knowing you can count on supportive loved ones to help can go a long way toward improving your depression.

For others, a depression support group can be key.It may involve a community group that meets in your area or you might find an online support group that meets your needs.

How to Help Someone Who Is Depressed

When you’re under stress, your body produces more of a hormone called cortisol. In the short-term, this is a good thing because it helps you gear up to cope with whatever is causing the stress in your life.

Over the long run, however, it can cause many problems for you, including depression.The more you use techniques to reduce stress, the better because it will reduce your risk of becoming depressed.

18 Tips to Help You Relieve Stress

Sleep and mood are intimately related. A 2014 study found that 80% of people withmajor depressive disorder experience sleep disturbances.

But, you might feel like you just can’t fall asleep. Or perhaps you struggle to get out of bed because you feel exhausted all the time.

Good sleep hygiene could be key to improving the quality and quantity of your sleep.

Turn off electronics at least an hour before you go to bed. Use dim light to read a book or engage in another relaxing activity.

Only use your bed for sleep and sexual activity. Doing work in bed, or even in your bedroom, can cause you to associate your bed with stress, rather than relaxation.

How to Sleep Better

Research continues to find clear links between diet and mental health. In fact, there have been so many studies that have shown improving nutrition can prevent and treat mental illness that nutritional psychiatry is becoming mainstream.

There are many brain-essential nutrients that can affect depression. For example, a 2012 study found that zinc deficiency is associated with symptoms of depression.Improving your diet could be key to reducing your symptoms.

But before you make any major changes to your diet or begin taking vitamins or supplements, talk with your physician.

These Foods Can Help Boost Your Mood

Depression doesn’t just make you feel bad, it can also cause you to think more negatively. Changing those negative thoughts, however, can improve your mood.

Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) is a type of therapy that works to alter common patterns of negative thinking called cognitive distortions in order to eliminate depression.There are also manyself-help books, apps, and online courses that can help you learn how to change your unhealthy thinking patterns.

The symptoms of depression, such as fatigue and difficulty concentrating, make procrastination tempting.

Putting things off fuels depression. It can lead to increased guilt, worry, and stress.

It’s important toset deadlines and manage your time well. Establish short-term goals and work hard to get the most important things done first. Each task you successfully complete will help you break through the habit of procrastination.

5 Tips to Help You Stop Procrastinating

Depression can make it difficult to complete household chores, such as doing the dishes or paying bills.

But a pile of paperwork, a stack of dirty dishes, and a floor covered in dirty clothes will only magnify your feelings of stress.

Take control of your daily chores. Start small and work on one project at a time. Getting up and moving can help you start to feel better in itself. But,seeing your progress in the homecan be key to helping you feel better.

7 Tips for Staying Motivated to Clean Your House When You Are Depressed

A wellness toolbox is a set of tools and actvities that you can use to help soothe yourself when you are feeling down.

The tools you find most helpful might not work for someone else so it’s important to carefully consider what things can help you feel your best.

What to Add to Your Wellness ToolboxThink of things you like to do when you’re happy. Then, when you’re feeling down, try one of those activities.Here are some things you might include in your wellness toolbox:Cuddle your petListen to your favorite musicTake a warm bathRead a bookGo for a walkCall a loved oneTake yourself out on a dateWatch a movie or tv seriesGrab one of your favorite cozy blankets and relaxWrite your thoughts down in ajournalTry a light therapy lamp

What to Add to Your Wellness Toolbox

Think of things you like to do when you’re happy. Then, when you’re feeling down, try one of those activities.Here are some things you might include in your wellness toolbox:Cuddle your petListen to your favorite musicTake a warm bathRead a bookGo for a walkCall a loved oneTake yourself out on a dateWatch a movie or tv seriesGrab one of your favorite cozy blankets and relaxWrite your thoughts down in ajournalTry a light therapy lamp

Think of things you like to do when you’re happy. Then, when you’re feeling down, try one of those activities.

Here are some things you might include in your wellness toolbox:

The Best Depression Resources and Organizations for Support and Treatment

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pfeiffer PN, Heisler M, Piette JD, Rogers MA, Valenstein M.Efficacy of peer support interventions for depression: a meta-analysis.Gen Hosp Psychiatry.2011;33(1):29-36. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.10.002Dedovic K, Ngiam J.The cortisol awakening response and major depression: examining the evidence.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat.2015;11:1181-9. doi:10.2147/NDT.S62289Soehner AM, Kaplan KA, Harvey AG.Prevalence and clinical correlates of co-occurring insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms in depression.J Affect Disord.2014;167:93-7. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.05.060Sarris J, Logan AC, Akbaraly TN, et al.Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry.Lancet Psychiatry.2015;2(3):271-4. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00051-0Lai J, Moxey A, Nowak G, Vashum K, Bailey K, Mcevoy M.The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.J Affect Disord.2012;136(1-2):e31-e39. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.06.022Driessen E, Hollon SD.Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: efficacy, moderators and mediators.Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):537-55. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.005Slade M, Amering M, Farkas M, et al.Uses and abuses of recovery: implementing recovery-oriented practices in mental health systems.World Psychiatry.2014;13(1):12-20. doi:10.1002/wps.20084Additional ReadingBouwmans ME, Beltz AM, Bos EH, Oldehinkel AJ, Jonge PD, Molenaar PC.The person-specific interplay of melatonin, affect, and fatigue in the context of sleep and depression.Personality and Individual Differences. 2018;123:163-170.Lai J, Moxey A, Nowak G, Vashum K, Bailey K, Mcevoy M.The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2012;136(1-2).Soehner AM, Kaplan KA, Harvey AG.Prevalence and clinical correlates of co-occurring insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms in depression.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2014;167:93-97.

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Pfeiffer PN, Heisler M, Piette JD, Rogers MA, Valenstein M.Efficacy of peer support interventions for depression: a meta-analysis.Gen Hosp Psychiatry.2011;33(1):29-36. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.10.002Dedovic K, Ngiam J.The cortisol awakening response and major depression: examining the evidence.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat.2015;11:1181-9. doi:10.2147/NDT.S62289Soehner AM, Kaplan KA, Harvey AG.Prevalence and clinical correlates of co-occurring insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms in depression.J Affect Disord.2014;167:93-7. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.05.060Sarris J, Logan AC, Akbaraly TN, et al.Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry.Lancet Psychiatry.2015;2(3):271-4. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00051-0Lai J, Moxey A, Nowak G, Vashum K, Bailey K, Mcevoy M.The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.J Affect Disord.2012;136(1-2):e31-e39. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.06.022Driessen E, Hollon SD.Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: efficacy, moderators and mediators.Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):537-55. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.005Slade M, Amering M, Farkas M, et al.Uses and abuses of recovery: implementing recovery-oriented practices in mental health systems.World Psychiatry.2014;13(1):12-20. doi:10.1002/wps.20084Additional ReadingBouwmans ME, Beltz AM, Bos EH, Oldehinkel AJ, Jonge PD, Molenaar PC.The person-specific interplay of melatonin, affect, and fatigue in the context of sleep and depression.Personality and Individual Differences. 2018;123:163-170.Lai J, Moxey A, Nowak G, Vashum K, Bailey K, Mcevoy M.The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2012;136(1-2).Soehner AM, Kaplan KA, Harvey AG.Prevalence and clinical correlates of co-occurring insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms in depression.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2014;167:93-97.

Pfeiffer PN, Heisler M, Piette JD, Rogers MA, Valenstein M.Efficacy of peer support interventions for depression: a meta-analysis.Gen Hosp Psychiatry.2011;33(1):29-36. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.10.002Dedovic K, Ngiam J.The cortisol awakening response and major depression: examining the evidence.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat.2015;11:1181-9. doi:10.2147/NDT.S62289Soehner AM, Kaplan KA, Harvey AG.Prevalence and clinical correlates of co-occurring insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms in depression.J Affect Disord.2014;167:93-7. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.05.060Sarris J, Logan AC, Akbaraly TN, et al.Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry.Lancet Psychiatry.2015;2(3):271-4. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00051-0Lai J, Moxey A, Nowak G, Vashum K, Bailey K, Mcevoy M.The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.J Affect Disord.2012;136(1-2):e31-e39. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.06.022Driessen E, Hollon SD.Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: efficacy, moderators and mediators.Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):537-55. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.005Slade M, Amering M, Farkas M, et al.Uses and abuses of recovery: implementing recovery-oriented practices in mental health systems.World Psychiatry.2014;13(1):12-20. doi:10.1002/wps.20084

Dedovic K, Ngiam J.The cortisol awakening response and major depression: examining the evidence.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat.2015;11:1181-9. doi:10.2147/NDT.S62289

Soehner AM, Kaplan KA, Harvey AG.Prevalence and clinical correlates of co-occurring insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms in depression.J Affect Disord.2014;167:93-7. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.05.060

Sarris J, Logan AC, Akbaraly TN, et al.Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry.Lancet Psychiatry.2015;2(3):271-4. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00051-0

Lai J, Moxey A, Nowak G, Vashum K, Bailey K, Mcevoy M.The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: systematic review of randomised controlled trials.J Affect Disord.2012;136(1-2):e31-e39. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2011.06.022

Driessen E, Hollon SD.Cognitive behavioral therapy for mood disorders: efficacy, moderators and mediators.Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010;33(3):537-55. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.005

Slade M, Amering M, Farkas M, et al.Uses and abuses of recovery: implementing recovery-oriented practices in mental health systems.World Psychiatry.2014;13(1):12-20. doi:10.1002/wps.20084

Bouwmans ME, Beltz AM, Bos EH, Oldehinkel AJ, Jonge PD, Molenaar PC.The person-specific interplay of melatonin, affect, and fatigue in the context of sleep and depression.Personality and Individual Differences. 2018;123:163-170.Lai J, Moxey A, Nowak G, Vashum K, Bailey K, Mcevoy M.The efficacy of zinc supplementation in depression: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2012;136(1-2).Soehner AM, Kaplan KA, Harvey AG.Prevalence and clinical correlates of co-occurring insomnia and hypersomnia symptoms in depression.Journal of Affective Disorders. 2014;167:93-97.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?

What to Add to Your Wellness Toolbox#

What to Add to Your Wellness Toolbox