A recent study examined brain scans of women who looked at abstract images unrelated to food or images of sweet and savory foods. The women who felt the most lonely and socially isolated had the highest level of brain activity in the regions connected to sugary foods and cravings. At the close of the study, study authors concluded that building social connections may cause people to eat healthier. 

This new research, published by JAMA Network Open, builds on previous investigations linking loneliness to poor mental health. Earlier studies also linked loneliness to cognitive decline, weight gain, and obesity-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes. Although there is a lot of evidence for these connections, researchers still don’t have a clear idea of the underlying causes. For example, obesity is linked to depression and anxiety, and binge-eating is common coping mechanism for loneliness.

The Study

Study authors surveyed 93 women about their social connections, body weight, feelings of loneliness, and eating behaviors. Scientists then used MRI scans to see how their brains responded when they looked at abstract images unrelated to food or images of different sweet and savory foods. Overall, participants who reported higher levels of loneliness or isolation were more likely to have sugary cravings. The loneliest participants also experienced reduced brain activity in regions responsible for self-control related to eating behaviors. 

Loneliness or social isolation can cause food cravings similar to the cravings you have for social connections. Study authors found that social bonds are integral to how people eat unhealthy foods, especially foods high in calories and sugar.

Study Suggests New Ways To Reduce Sugar Cravings

Although the study linked loneliness to increased sugar cravings, the study had certain limitations. Two of the limitations were the small size and the reliance on participants to accurately report details about the mood, eating behaviors, and overall health. That said, the study provides new evidence that supports the link between your mood and response to food. 

Additionally, the study found that the participants’ brains were particularly reactive to sweet foods. Researchers note that this explains the maladaptive eating behavioral changes among socially isolated people. The good news is that finding out this information can help socially isolated people make positive changes in their social lives, which can alter their eating habits. One of the best ways to start is to find ways to build social support systems. Some examples include volunteering, joining clubs, playing sports, or pursuing a new hobby. Anything that increases your interactions with other people can be beneficial, and may help change how your brain responds to food cues. 

When you are aware that sugar cravings are connected to loneliness or social isolation, you can feel empowered because you have the ability to change your eating patterns. Understanding that loneliness causes you to crave high-calorie, sugary foods is very empowering. You may want to consider holistic mind-body interventions to help correct the way you think about food. Meditation, journaling, deep breathing, and other stress-reduction exercises can be beneficial in changing the way you think about food. 

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According to a study from 2019 that examined close to 15,000 people, burning calories reduces the risk of death. The results indicated that burning an extra calorie per kilogram of bodyweight per day reduced the risk of death by 24%. If you weigh 200 pounds, you can reduce your risk of death by nearly a quarter if you simply burn 90 more calories per day. All you have to do is walk just over half a mile to do that!

There are two essential components to thriving with age: maintain lower-body functional strength and lower-body functional power. “Functional” means moving in different patterns and under different stressors. Stepping up and down things in different directions or lifting weights in various positions and directions are great examples of functional training. Engaging in regular physical activity that helps build strength in the legs, then, is ideal if you want better quality of life as you age. 

You can do functional movements in the gym, at home, or on a court or field playing sports. In the older population, there are great cognitive and social benefits that accompany the physical benefits of sport. Avoiding isolation as you age can help slow mental and physical decline. It can be intimidating to learn a new sport, especially if you don’t classify yourself as an athlete. Fortunately, the following sports typically have very welcoming communities, so you can experiment with one or more of them to see which you like. 

Dancing

Whether you want to take salsa lessons or learn to line dance, dancing is an exciting exercise that offers all the benefits of walking, and then some. Not only do you get to learn moves and have fun, but you also get to burn some calories. Dancing requires you to move laterally, taking crossover steps, in addition to moving forward and backward. That makes dance an agility-type activity, which helps perfect balance to protect you from falls. Dancing also forces you to remember the steps and patterns, which keeps you sharp between the ears. 

Tai Chi

If you have ever passed a park in somewhat warmer weather, you have probably seen a group of older people practicing Tai Chi. This form of gentle exercise involves specific, controlled movements, which you shouldn’t sleep on. Tai Chi is a low-impact exercise, making it very accessible for all levels of activity. A lot of the movements help to improve mobility and over 500 studies have found that Tai Chi can improve balance. Plus, studies also indicate that it benefits people with mental health challenges, such as depression.

Pickleball

You knew that this sport was going to be on the list, right? Although pickleball is not a new sport, it surged to popularity within the last five years. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s annual report found pickleball to be the easiest racket sport to learn. That same report found that it has grown 158.6% within the last three years. Not only is pickleball fun and a great form of cardiovascular exercise, but it also improves agility, mobility, wrist dexterity, and upper body strength. 

Croquet And Bocce

You may not qualify lawn games as sports, but these backyard social activities offer some sneaky health benefits. Tossing a ball, bending over to pick up the ball, or swinging a mallet require shoulder and hip mobility, core strength, and stability. Bending over to pick up the balls can prove problematic for some older people, which is why practicing proper form is essential. Do not round the back; rather, hinge at the hips and bend your knees. Regularly bending down to pick up the balls is a very functional movement that you can incorporate into everyday life.

Golf

Is it a cliche to suggest golf to an older crowd? When you consider the benefits of golf that extend beyond walking, then it isn’t. Golf is 100% outdoors, and moving outside has been associated with both mental and physical health benefits. An actual golf course requires you to walk over various contours of surface, terrain, and you may have to step over things or walk up and down hills. Swinging the club can also improve trunk mobility and upper body strength.

Swimming

As previously mentioned, any exercise that you can do outdoors comes with an added mental health boost. Research indicates that the external stimulus of being outside forces the brain to adapt and overcome; plus, there are environmental challenges to deal with. Swimming is not necessarily an outdoor sport, but it can be if you live in a warm enough place to swim in a lake or ocean. Swimming is also beneficial because the body is weightless in the water, which means that you don’t put unnecessary stress on the joints.

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By increasing concentration, you ultimately improve mental performance. That allows for better problem solving abilities and an enhancement in the way you approach general tasks. Improving concentration can also help you make decisions more efficiently and effectively by analyzing your thoughts and ideas. It will ultimately improve productivity in and outside of the workplace. 

How do you go about improving concentration, though? One of the easiest ways to do this is by practicing a few simple meditation techniques. You, yourself, are responsible for your own success, and that isn’t just regarding your work or performance charts. We are referring to successes in your social and personal life, too! If you want to learn more about simple ways to boost concentration, continue reading.

What Is Concentration?

Concentration is the ability to focus your mind on a singular object, either within or outside the body, and maintain this attention for a steady amount of time. It is very common and completely natural for the mind to wander, especially during meditation. Don’t let that throw you off balance, because being able to concentrate takes practice. True concentration can help you succeed in your meditation practice. When your mind is steady, other aspects of your life will also start to balance out. 

You can concentrate on internal aspects as a start. Focus on your breathing, counting numbers in your mind, or even your heartbeat. If it is easier to focus on external aspects, such as a crack in a wall, a ticking clock, or a candle’s flame, then you can do that as well. You will not be able to concentrate on internal or external aspects immediately. Don’t panic; rather, just allow your thoughts or distractions to come and go and begin the process again. 

How To Do Concentration Meditation

Ideally, you want to eliminate all distractions, be they internal or external, in order to increase your concentration. Being able to concentrate during meditation will provide benefits that extend into everyday life. In order to achieve this, practice the following steps.

Focus On Your Breathing

Make sure to find a comfortable spot and allow a few minutes to clear your mind of excess thoughts. Let your mind wander and allow it to come back once your thoughts have washed in and out like waves up a beach. Once your mind is quiet, focus on your breath, inhaling and exhaling. You can count your breaths if you want. Consider inhaling for four seconds, holding for four seconds, and then exhaling for four seconds. 

Be Still

The reason that you want to start in a comfortable position is because it is very natural and common to fidget. That is especially true if you are new to meditation and don’t sit for long periods of time. To begin, close your eyes and settle yourself into a comfortable position. Calm your mind and you’ll notice that your body loosens up. Before you know it, your body will be as calm as your mind.

Use A Mantra

Once you have focused on your breathing and are in a comfortable position, begin to repeat a mantra or affirmation of your choice. A mantra can be a single syllable, word, or phrase that helps you focus. The most popular meditation word is “Om,” but this doesn’t have to be your mantra of choice. Choose something that you resonate with and progress through your meditation practice.

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A Zumba class resembles the club on a Saturday night, right? That all depends on which club you go to, but the important thing to remember is to dance like nobody’s watching. The great thing about Zumba is that you don’t have the grunts, yells, or, “Let’s go, bro,” that you hear on the gym floor. Quite the contrary, actually. A Zumba class offers catchy dance music, hand clapping, and the occasional “Woo” or gasps for air. 

Although it is not a new form of exercise, Zumba is very popular, especially with middle-aged and older adults. It features movements inspired by various styles of dance, from Latin American to Bollywood. Can Zumba help you burn calories, sculpt muscles, and tone your arms? Continue reading to learn about the surprising health benefits of this workout. 

You’ll Burn Calories

According to a small study from 2012, a 39-minute Zumba class burned an average of 9.5 calories per minute. That adds up to 369 calories throughout the class. Since the American Council on Exercise encourages people to burn 300 calories per workout to maintain a healthy weight, Zumba is a viable workout to hit that goal. Additional evidence shows that a 12-week Zumba program can significantly improve aerobic fitness. 

You’ll Build Endurance

The music that plays during a Zumba class is usually fast-paced, so it takes a little extra pep in your step to move to the beat. Doing Zumba workouts regularly helps build endurance, even after a few workouts. One study found that after a 12-week Zumba program, participants showed a decrease in systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Those results coincided with an increase in endurance. 

You’ll Improve Cardiovascular Fitness

If people want to improve cardiovascular fitness, a study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine notes the accepted guidelines: 

• 64 and 94 percent of their HRmax, a measure of an athlete’s maximum heart rate
• 40 to 85 percent of VO2 max, a measure of maximum volume of oxygen an athlete can use

The same study found that participants in a Zumba session fell within these HRmax and VO2 max guidelines. In fact, participants exercised at an average of 79% of HRmax and 66% of VO2 max. That means that Zumba is an effective workout for increasing endurance and aerobic capacity, which is a measure of cardiovascular fitness. 

It Is A Social Workout

Zumba is a group workout, so you’ll likely be welcomed into any class you choose. It is also one of the more social group workouts in existence. The American College of Sports Medicine encourages group workout classes because of the following benefits:

• A safe workout that is designed for you to follow along with and burn calories 
• Exposure to a fun and social environment
• An accountability factor, which can help you succeed with your fitness goals

You May Improve Blood Pressure

A 2016 study observed a group of overweight women who engaged in a 12-week Zumba fitness program. By the end of the study period, study observers noticed that participants experienced significant improvement in body weight and a reduction in blood pressure. A separate, smaller study found that blood pressure levels decreased in participants after 17 Zumba classes. 

You Can Improve Your Quality Of Life

A great Zumba workout provides a lot of physical and social health benefits. You get to work out and meet new people who motivate you to keep going. Not to mention, Zumba is a great workout for any fitness level! Many people find that Zumba classes improve their overall quality of life. Are you ready to dance, or what?

It Is A Full-Body Workout

Zumba is an aerobic workout, but it also incorporates a few bodyweight strength training movements throughout the class. As long as you continue to move your body to the beat, though, you are participating in the class. Zumba requires you to move your entire body, from your arms and shoulders to your butt and feet. You’ll get a full-body workout that doesn’t even feel like work!

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Self-care is exactly what it sounds like: taking care of yourself. That can mean different things for different people. In general, self-care involves carving out a chunk of time, or even a day, to treat yourself properly. Take baths, pamper yourself, engage in meditation, treat your body right, or do any activity that relieves stress and makes you feel great. Practicing self-care can help improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. 

Why Is Self-Care Important?

Self-care is more than just a buzz term circling health and beauty websites. The average person spends so much time working long hours and caring for others, and they often put themselves last. Putting others first is not a negative trait, but it does mean that you may not invest quality time in yourself. It is more than acceptable, encouraged even, to pay adequate attention to your mental and emotional health. Being mindful of your own needs is the ultimate act of self-love.

We invite you to take part in self-care Sunday, which is one day of the week that you take for yourself. Sunday is usually the day because Monday starts the work week, which can be stressful. You can practice on whichever day is your Sunday, just so long as you take the time to press the reset button and recharge. 

Spend Time In Bed

Don’t rush your Sunday morning wake-up. That said, sleep experts do encourage people to practice regular sleep/wake times to establish a healthy circadian rhythm. If you wake up, you don’t have to leave your bed right away. Open a book and spend a little extra time reading in bed. You can even exit the bed, make yourself breakfast, and enjoy breakfast in bed. 

Go For A Morning Walk

This may not be at the top of your self-care to-do list, but taking a quick morning walk is a great way to start the day. You get bonus points if you soak up some morning sunshine as that helps energize the mind and body. Walking is a great way to burn a few extra calories and can help you clear your mind. Take your relaxation up a notch by walking in nature, as that has been proven to improve mood, focus, and creativity.’

Spa Day At Home

Take your self-care Sunday to the next level with an at-home luxury spa day experience. Pamper yourself and let your stress melt away in a warm bath, to which you add relaxing essential oils. Consider putting on light music and dimming the lights. You can also apply a face mask, enjoy some light snacks, and even a glass of wine. Most importantly, mute your phone, relax, and enjoy your day off. You may even find some great at-home spa kits online!

Journal It Out

Journaling is a powerful self-care tool. It helps you clear your mind and release any tension, anger, or frustration within. Journaling also helps you observe your feelings, checking in with your negative emotions and bad experiences. After letting it out on the page, make sure to follow it up with some notes of gratitude, as that helps infuse your mind with joy and happiness. 

Meal Prep

Doesn’t meal prepping take up quite a bit of your time and energy? Although that is one way to look at it, another way to look at meal prepping is that you are caring for your future self. It is very easy to spend hours on social media or binge-watching a show. Make more use of your time by being productive. Stay away from things that drain your energy or harm your mood/self-confidence. Choose a couple meals to prepare so that you have less work to do when it comes time to eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner during the week. 

Meditate

For beginners, meditation can be very challenging, but that’s perfectly acceptable. Meditation is a useful tool to benefit your emotional and mental health. It works to alleviate stress, reduce anxiety, and get rid of negative self-talk. If you find that traditional silent meditation is very difficult, consider experimenting with guided meditation. This can also be a useful practice to do before bed, as it can help relax the mind and improve sleep. 

Social Media Detox

Social media can be very time-consuming and you can spend hours scrolling without any real purpose. Just think: do you need to spend 45 minutes sitting on the toilet? Social media sucks you in and most platforms can be quite toxic. On your self-care day, stay away from anything that can drain your energy or harm your mood. You might find that leaving social media alone for one day a week gives you a better outlook on life.

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Now, more than ever, there is a huge obsession with strength training. It is a great way to increase muscle strength, but that doesn’t mean you should obsess over strength and strength alone. Cardiovascular training and stretching are two other integral pillars of exercise, but one that is not typically discussed is mental training. You see, the brain is just like any other muscle, and training it will help it perform optimally.

You’ve heard of aerobics, but what about “neurobics?” Essentially aerobics for your neurons, neurobics is a method of brain training to increase brain capacity and improve memory. One author, Jim Kiwk, explains that if you don’t use your brain, you’ll lose it. Kiwk also states that there are easy ways to challenge your brain, and they don’t take too much time. Accelerate your learning capacity and enhance your brain with the following exercises. 

Use Your Opposite Hand

Although some people are ambidextrous, most people tend to stick with their dominant hand for everyday tasks. Try to use your non-dominant hand to do simple tasks, such as brushing your teeth or eating, to activate a different part of the brain. You don’t have to think when you use your dominant hand because most things are muscle memory. If you switch things up to use your non-dominant hand, you have to use more brain power. Additionally, using your non-dominant hand forces you to be present. You direct your full focus on the activity or task at hand, so you know you are not distracted by anything else. 

Turn Off Your GPS

There is no doubt that technology makes many things convenient, so much so that you don’t have to think about some things. Therein lies the problem! You want to flex your mental muscles from time to time, so Kiwk encourages you to refrain from looking up your destination on your device. Rely on your memory to get you where you need to go, provided you have a few extra minutes to recall mental directions and the destination is familiar. People lack confidence because they lack mental competence. You are capable of so much and probably know your way around better than you realize you do. Make the effort and use your brain, even if that means that your route ends up being a little longer. 

Make Passive Activities Active

You have the ability to make any activity more mindful, even something as simple as watching TV. How often do you sit down to watch a show or movie and end up scrolling through social media or playing Candy Crush 10 minutes into your show/movie? You don’t have to mindlessly watch the movie just because you put your phone down, though. Envision yourself as a certain character from what you are watching. What would you do if you were in their situation and what can you learn from the character’s arc or journey? You can also practice this skill with other forms of entertainment. It may actually help you improve empathy and your ability to switch positions or characters in a narrative. 

The takeaway from all this is that exercising your brain is much easier than you think it is. All you have to do is make small changes in everyday activities to make a positive impact on your cognition and memory. Practice some neurobics and you’ll feel stronger every time you do them!

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Does becoming a morning person change your life? You have to first become a morning person and decide that for yourself. What you may come to realize is that investing time in the morning is an investment to your overall health and wellbeing. Giving yourself more time in the morning may promote productivity, better mood, and reduce levels of stress. Should you want to become more of a morning person, you’ll need to Ditch the following habits.

Waking Up Late

Most people think this is the dream, especially after a long week, but waking up late means less time for self-care. Waking up late on workdays leaves barely enough time to get ready, eat, and get out of the house. Without ample preparation time, you may start the day in a state of stress. You should ideally leave at least one hour in the morning for yourself. During this time, you can get ready, meditate, practice some affirmations, or engage in a gentle yoga sequence. This hour should help set your day up for success!

Checking Social Media First Thing After Waking Up

This is a terrible habit that many people have developed over the years. It is almost too easy to grab your phone and immediately check your email, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, text messages, and more. Once you stop looking at your phone immediately after getting up, you’ll realize how strongly that little habit affects your mood throughout the day. Even though it feels like an urge, we encourage you to not open your social media after waking up. You want to keep your mind calm in the morning, but checking your phone bombards your brain with images, news, notifications, and more. You lose focus and your sense of time while doom scrolling, which wastes time that could be spent on yourself. 

Not Letting Natural Light And Fresh Air In

A great habit to embrace during your morning routine is to look at the morning sun (not directly at it) for 10 minutes. This has proven benefits for your mental health. The reason to open your windows to allow fresh air and natural light into your home is to help wake up your brain. The natural light cues your body to be awake and keeps you from remaining sleepy as you begin your morning routine. 

Staying In Bed After You Wake Up

You most likely stay in your bed after you wake up because you don’t know what else to do. Sometimes, this habit causes you to fall back asleep, and then you wake up in a panic because you are late. When you wake up, it is best to rise immediately and meet yourself fully. That means that you engage in a yoga routine, meditation practice, or other morning routine right after you get out of bed. This takes time and self-discipline, but we believe that you can do it!

Not Having A Productive Morning Routine

If your morning lacks structure, then you will likely not have a productive or relaxing morning. Humans grow via action and doing things that add meaning or value to life can lead to feelings of satisfaction. When you wake up early, you need to have a plan or routine in place. If you don’t know what to do, then you will likely become frustrated. When you get morning light, take a cold shower or ice bath, meditate, stretch, or practice breathing exercises, your mornings will have purpose. Positivity and productivity will help you remain thankful in the morning. Don’t idle away during your morning time because that only wastes precious moments!

Not Making Your Bed

This may seem like it doesn’t factor into a successful morning routine, but the state of the surrounding room influences you more than you realize. A messy bed may cause you to feel messy or like you are in a state of disarray. When you make your bed and tidy up your room in the morning, you are more likely to feel light, bright, and clear-headed. If you think that making/not making your bed doesn’t affect your mental state, then you are probably wrong. You’ll be surprised how good the little things make you feel. 

Having Coffee As Your First Drink

The first beverage you want to drink after getting up is a tall glass of water. Extra points if you enhance that glass of water with some freshly squeezed lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. The body is in a dehydrated state, so drinking water puts you on the right step towards rehydrating the body. Drinking coffee not only increases cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, but it can also increase blood sugar and anxiety. Don’t alter the body’s energy level early in the morning; rather, have your coffee after 9:30 a.m. and you’ll start feeling a lot healthier.

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About 40% of people share one flaw that cripples their emotional intelligence, creativity, and social adaptability. Can you guess what this common flaw is? It is sleep, which is necessary for optimal brain health and overall cognition. The brain operates all day long, sending signals and messages to various parts of the body.

In the same way that muscles become fatigued and reach exhaustion, so can the brain. The constant sending and receiving of signals causes a build-up of metabolites between neurons. When you sleep, however, the brain turns on the glymphatic system, a recently discovered system that clears out macroscopic waste. It utilizes various perivascular channels, formed by astroglial cells, to help eliminate soluble proteins and metabolites from the central nervous system. In simpler terms, the glymphatic system helps take out the garbage in the brain so it can function better. 

Failing to get enough high-quality sleep? Waste starts to build up over time and your cognitive function can suffer. There may be good reasoning behind why so many people struggle with sleep. 

Technology And Overstimulation

It’s safe to say that people do not know how to turn off anymore. You could be reading this right now, switch to Instagram, play Candy Crush, and then come back to reading this. Social media, technology, and incredibly low attention spans contribute to this overstimulation. Technology is a great tool, but it can also be a weapon that sabotages your life if you don’t use it intentionally.

Cultural Norms

Sometimes for the better but mostly for the worse, people operate in a hustle-and-grind culture. It’s encouraged to work yourself to the bone and grind until you can finally relax. One study from a sleep-focused journal found that too little sleep is associated with negative health outcomes. Sleep is the best productivity tool you have, so don’t be afraid to use it! 

Weak Work-Life Boundaries

There is supposed to be a healthy balance between your work and regular life, but rarely are those boundaries distinguished. If you respond to work emails well into the night when you are at home, that is not healthy. It fuels the “just a little more work” attitude and doesn’t help you wind down at night for optimal sleep. If you work a nine-to-five, be done at five. Don’t take your work responsibilities home because you won’t be able to relax and your sleep will suffer. 

What Can You Do To Change This? 

Now that we have covered the problems surrounding sleep, hopefully we can provide some solutions. That doesn’t mean that you need to do three hours of pre-bedtime meditation or two hours of restorative yoga. If you are a busy bee and want to wake up feeling more refreshed, then the following tips may be of great help to you. 

Use Light To Your Advantage

The brain relies on the eyes to discern what time of day it is. For this reason, some sleep experts recommend dimming the house lights as the sun sets. You don’t need fancy house lights that cost a fortune; rather, you need a few affordable lamps with amber-colored bulbs, which emit an orange glow. If you want to harness the power of light, you can make your screens as dim as functionally possible in the evening. Blue-light-blocking glasses may also help your brain produce more melatonin to get ready for bed. Ideally, though, you should stop looking at screens about one to two hours before bed.

Cool Things Down

The reticular activating system (RAS) controls a large part of your sleep. This system supports biological signaling, which signals the body and brain to know what time it is, coordinating hormones and neurotransmitters to help encourage sleep. The two big biological levers you can pull to support those systems are light and temperature. When you start to fall asleep, the major muscle groups settle down and the body temperature drops. In order to support the drop in temperature, turn down your bedroom thermostat or take a shower an hour before bed. Consider keeping a face roller in your freezer and rolling it on your face before bed. Believe it or not, the face contains temperature-sensitive neurons that have a strong link to circadian biology. 

Consider Supplementation

There is nothing that can magically fix your sleep, but you can consider a few sleep supplements to improve the quality of your sleep. There are millions of sleep supplements, so how do you know which one to choose? Some people recommend melatonin, but you ideally want the body to produce sufficient amounts. The last thing you want is to depend on a supplement in order to sleep. Many people benefit from magnesium supplements or powders, while others swear by GABA, which is a neurotransmitter that helps calm the brain. Before choosing a supplement, consider talking with your healthcare provider to see if they recommend something specific and support it for healthier sleep.

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Getting through the day can feel like trudging through the mud if you have depression. Hopelessness, sadness, and a general disinterest in activities that once provided joy are quite common with the condition. Decreased energy and difficulty concentrating can also accompany depression, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

The symptoms of depression differ from person to person, especially if the condition is more severe. Getting out of bed can feel like running a marathon for one person, while unexplained back problems or sleep issues can affect another person. As bad as these symptoms are for people with depression, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. No matter what symptoms you’re dealing with, there are daily habits that may help you manage your day-to-day tasks. Mental health experts endorse the following strategies that may come to your aid if you have depression. 

Fuel Your Body With Nutrients

According to a 2019 review, consuming anti-inflammatory fruits, vegetables, heart-healthy oils, nuts, and seeds may reduce your risk of depressive symptoms. Pro-inflammatory foods, on the other hand, may raise your risk of depressive symptoms. Some of those foods to avoid include refined carbs, fried foods, margarine, and red meats. Sugar is another food to limit because it acts on neuroreceptors, providing a temporary happy feeling that is quickly followed by a low, i.e. a sugar crash. Anti-inflammatory foods work to regulate blood sugar, which can help balance your mood. 

Make Time For People You Care About

Having a great support system is a beautiful thing in this life. Whether you’re having a tough day or going through something, try to reach out to a loved one for support. Staying connected with family and friends can help encourage you to form strategies that help you feel better. A study from 2020 monitored people practicing social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicated that the risk of depressive symptoms was 63% lower in people with more social support compared to those with minimal social support. Greater social support also indicated a 52% lower risk of sleep problems. If you have a hard time talking with friends or family about your depression, consider joining a support group.

Get Moving

Although exercise may sound draining, especially if you have fatigue or low mood, movement can actually help you battle depressive symptoms. An overview of 97 systematic reviews found that exercise eases symptoms of both depression and anxiety. The same overview concluded that exercise should be a mainstay approach in managing mental health conditions. Physical activity, from moderate- to high-intensity exercise, had the most benefits. Try to get active for 30 minutes a day as a maintenance goal!

Practice Healthy Self-Talk

Some therapists practice dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), a type of therapy that helps a person manage emotional sensitivities. Through this therapy, a person may promote the concept of radical acceptance, which is when a person validates their feelings in a healthy way. This process involves accepting the reality of your situation. It is rooted in the belief that suffering is not the direct result of emotion, but rather the attachment to expectations of emotions or behavior. Unhealthy self-talk, for example, involves sayings like, “I’m worthless, and nobody cares about me.” Healthy self-talk involves sayings like, “I accept that I’m low at the moment, and I know it will pass.” When you speak about yourself in a healthier way, you may find that feelings of depression are much less, or not as intense. 

Keep A Journal

Writing in a journal, both on good days and bad, can be very beneficial if you struggle with depression. Journal entries can help you rate your emotions, track your behavior, and record your achievements. The practice of writing can help you identify patterns, emotions, or behaviors over time, and you can learn from them. Ideally, you should keep a daily journal, even if the entry is short. Try to identify how you feel and work with a therapist to develop techniques that help you deal with emotions in challenging situations.

Go At Your Own Pace

Depression is a very personal journey, and your experience will likely differ from someone else’s. Do what you can do and take each day step by step. Focus on tackling your most important tasks and don’t let negativity cloud over you if you have a bad day. The most important thing to remember is that things that will help you the most are often the most difficult to do. Make sure you have a support section to cheer you on, and give yourself permission to do things at your own pace. Just do them!

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It is very easy to collapse on the couch and mindlessly watch TV shows or movies at the end of a long day. You probably scroll aimlessly through social media on your phone when you get bored of the TV. This is the common way to “wind down,” but all that blue light stimulation can make it more difficult to fall asleep once your head hits the pillow. How do you fix that? Are there more intentional ways to relax and calm down in the evening? 

Before you engage in the following evening wind down methods, take stock of how much time you have when you get home before you go to bed. If you only have a couple hours, you may have to pick and choose smarter strategies. The important thing is that you take the time to deliberately unwind. Whether you arrive home after a long day of work or a hectic class schedule, the following relaxing strategies can help you take it easy. 

Use Relaxation Tools

Use technology to your advantage during your unwinding routine. There are various meditation apps and other affordable gadgets that help promote relaxation. A diffuser can be a great choice because you can add different essential oils, like lavender, that help calm the mind. Acupuncture mats, scalp massages, and foot baths are other inexpensive methods to help you relax after a long day. Consider looking at acupressure socks because they offer comfort and help your foot muscles recover. 

Do Something Uplifting For Yourself 

We cannot give a one-size-fits-all answer here because everyone has their own personal preferences. After a long, busy, exhausting day, do something that uplifts you when you get home. Perhaps you make plans to partake in something like a 1,500-piece puzzle or have some friends over for a weekly book club meeting. If you need to go to the movies for a good laugh, play a video game, or paint on canvas, do just that! Look back to your childhood if you need some inspiration for activities that bring you joy. Just make sure to carve out time in your schedule to bring yourself a little joy. 

Do A Brief Workout

Working out in the evening to wind down? Yes, indeed! It seems like a controversial suggestion, but working out is a great way to get you out of your own way, returning the attention to your body. Don’t choose a particularly strenuous exercise; rather, a light to moderately intense workout will suffice. Choose your own adventure depending on how much energy you have. The idea is to switch from your work brain to your home brain, and ultimately reconnect with your body. If you find that you lack energy, try a low-intensity workout like walking or Tai Chi. Yoga or Pilates can be beneficial if you want to both stretch and strengthen your body. 

Take A Warm Bath Or Shower

Some may think that this suggestion is a bit cliché, but it is easy to implement into your evening routine. Not only does a warm bath or shower get you clean, but it also helps loosen up your muscles, clear your head, and set the tone for your evening wind down. Warm water is naturally relaxing, with studies showing that it elicits feelings of relaxation and relief from exhaustion. Plus, taking a warm shower or bath a couple hours before bedtime can help lower your body temperature, which better prepares you for sleep. 

Read A Book

Not only does reading a book give your eyes and brain a break from screens, but it is also an excellent way to relax. A great book provides you with a temporary escape from reality, and a good book can grip your attention for hours. You don’t have to read War and Peace, but you can peruse a few books of interest and choose based on the genre you enjoy. If you want to double your relaxation efforts, consider reading a book while enjoying a warm bath. Just make sure that you don’t drop the book in the tub! Lastly, don’t read right as you get into bed because you may only last a page or two before you doze off. 

Eat A Comforting Dinner

There is a difference between comfort food and a comforting meal. That said, if a slice of pizza is going to help you wind down after a long week, allow yourself the opportunity to indulge. Some people enjoy a bowl of warm soup or a recipe for banana bread that has been passed down through the family. If cooking after a long day is only going to cause stress, stop by your go-to restaurant and grab a meal from there. That’s a great way to kick off your evening!

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