Are there any lifestyle modifications to overcome depression?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 30-year-old guy, and my life has become a never-ending stress ball, both at work and home. I am battling severe depression, often feeling like I am on my own in this struggle. My anger issues have hit the roof, and truth be told, I have never sought any help before. I understand it is my fault for losing my cool and shouting at people most of the time. On top of it all, I am losing sleep at night. Can I follow any home remedies or practices to get my act together?

Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Thank you for taking help from a psychiatrist. I can understand your situation. You may have a major depressive disorder. There is non-pharmacological management for your depression. You should try to follow the below guidelines to deal with it. It will help you.

Exercise daily for 30 to 45 minutes, like at least going for a walk. It will uplift your mood and reduce anger outbursts.
Meditate for 20 minutes daily. Sit in one place in a comfortable position, and try to concentrate on your normal breathing. Do not stop or force yourself to stop your thoughts. Just let it be. This will help you to relax.
Eat healthy home-cooked foods, and avoid junk foods.
Spend quality time with friends and family daily or do video calls if you are living away from your family.
Spend time on creative hobbies like reading good books, writing journals, painting, drawing, and learning new skills or language or musical instruments.
Sleep enough for seven to eight hours daily.
Avoid tobacco, alcohol, or any substance abuse.
Live your life. Do not just spend it. Be bold and confident.

Sleep hygiene-

You need to fix your time for sleep, which means you must fix the time to sleep and awake.
You must not do any other activities in bed.
You must not just lie down on the bed without any reason, as the bed is just meant for sleep.
Wear loose and comfortable clothes for sleep.
Take light food at night or dinner at least three hours before sleep.
You can take a maximum of 20 minutes of nap a day.
Do not use a mobile, television, or laptop at least half an hour before sleep.
Try to maintain an adequate temperature in your room, which means not so cold, and not so hot.
Have a proper bed and a pillow.
Make sure there is no noise or disturbance at night.
You can drink warm milk with turmeric before sleeping.

If you still have symptoms that persist after following the advice for four to six weeks, then you need to start medications for a short duration.

Investigations to be done:

CBC (complete blood count).
Thyroid profile.
Vitamin B12.
Vitamin D3.

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.