How Is Depression Treated
While depression can have dramatic effects on a persons sleep and overall quality of life, it can be treated. After working with a doctor or mental health provider to understand the type and severity of depression, treatment may include:
- Counseling: Depression can be treated effectively with several types of counseling, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy . CBT for insomnia is a type of CBT that focuses on managing chronic insomnia.
- Medications: Antidepressants are an effective treatment for depression. These prescription medications usually take time before they begin to improve symptoms and patients may need to try several antidepressants before finding the right fit. A doctor or psychiatrist can discuss the appropriateness of these medications and recommend a specific type.
- Brain stimulation therapies: When medications and other approaches are not effective, some people with depression consider electroconvulsive therapy or other, more recent types of brain stimulation like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation . These treatments can be effective but are only provided under the guidance of a trained professional.
Treatment often isnt limited to just one of these approaches in fact, combining medication and psychotherapy has shown higher rates of improvement than one approach alone.
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How To Motivate Your Depressed Self To Get Out Of Bed
When you are depressed, even waking up and greeting the new day is a small triumph. Depression murders motivation and ambition while you sleep, so even the moment the alarm goes off, you are already exhausted.
Revving yourself up to get out of bed and start moving may seem impossible, but if you follow some guidelines, waking up becomes less of a chore and more enjoyable. It is not going to be a magical experience either. But just remember that once you get out of bed, managing depression is more doable than letting the voices attack you while you are down.
Break It Down Into Smaller Tasks
A 2015 study suggests that breaking up a big task into smaller pieces is one way to combat procrastination. Thats because simply completing a task even a tiny one can be psychologically rewarding.
So try deconstructing the cleaning job into super-simple steps: Buy cleaning supplies one day, sweep the living room floor the next day, clean the kitchen counters the third day, etc. Youll be more likely to tackle the project this way than if you expect youll do the whole thing in a single afternoon.
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Make Small Changes To Your Routine
Even the smallest tasks can seem impossible when youre depressed and finding motivation when depressed can incredibly be challenging. If you find that youre waking up depressed, its a good idea to try and prepare as much as you can the night before, so you do not have to do so much in the mornings. For example, have your outfit laid out ready for the next day, so you dont have to worry about this when you wake up.
You may also want to think about adjusting your schedule in the day, if possible. If you are waking up depressed and feel that your depression symptoms are worse in the morning, try to be flexible with yourself. Set big chores, work tasks or other activities for later in the day, when you may have a little more energy. It may also be beneficial to speak to your manager at work so that they are aware of your situation and can provide the right level of support, which could include starting the working day slightly later.
How To Get Motivated To Clean: 10 Easy Tips
Do you feel glued to the chair and wondering how to get yourself motivated to clean?
It can be difficult to motivate yourself to clean, particularly when you feel tired, stressed, or even depressed.
However, studies indicate that a clean and tidy environment will help with physical and mental health.
According to a study published in Mindfulness, washing the dishes can reduce nervousness by 27% if you are focused on the task.
Cleaning and tidying help you to feel in control of your environment, therefore calming anxiety.
Here are more tips on How to be Happy Practicing Mindfulness.
With that in mind, I will share how I motivate myself to clean when I dont feel like doing it.
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Dealing With The Winter Blues
For some people, the reduced daylight hours of winter lead to a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder . SAD can make you feel like a completely different person to who you are in the summer: hopeless, sad, tense, or stressed, with no interest in friends or activities you normally love. No matter how hopeless you feel, though, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your mood stable throughout the year.
Getting Back On Track
If oversleeping is a symptom of depression, its most important to see a healthcare provider for treatment of that depression. And even if someone is being treated for depression, the sleep difficulties can be residual. Sleep can remain a struggle because its developed a life of its own and become very habitual, she says.
Dr. Drerup does have a few suggestions on how you can avoid falling into bad sleep habits that could exacerbate the sleep situation. These techniques can make a huge difference for people when they implement behavioral changes like this because the mood symptoms arent impairing them.
If people can get out of bed and get a more consistent start to their day, it can make their day better, Dr. Drerup says. They feel like they can be more productive and get more accomplished. And it can help improve their mood and allow them to make other changes over time that helps increase more pleasurable activities and engaging with people instead of the oversleeping and avoidance of interactions.
Hands off the snooze button
This may not be a popular idea given how much its a ritual for so many of us. But Dr. Drerup points out that repeatedly hitting the snooze button doesnt really help you. When you hit the snooze button and you doze for those short seven or eight minute increments, youre getting brief, fragmented sleep periods. You may think youre gradually becoming more alert but really youre developing sleep inertia and your body wants to stay asleep.
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Open The Curtains And Let Some Light In
It may be tempting to keep those curtains closed, but studies show that opening curtains and letting sunlight stream into your bedroom awakens the brain and even release feel-good hormones like serotonin. When your brain tells your body itâs awake, it becomes easier for your body to get moving. The light from the window also reminds you that thereâs a whole world out there waiting for you. Itâs a world of new opportunities and second chances. There are so many beautiful things to enjoy just beyond your bedroom window.
Alcohol Tobacco And Other Drugs
The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. SAMHSAs 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that approximately 19.3 million people aged 18 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year.
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How Can I Motivate Myself To Declutter Myself
The best way to get and stay motivated to is to know exactly why youre doing it. Get really clear with yourself about what you want to achieve by clearing the clutter and simplifying your home. Maybe you want more time for your family or for an activity you love. It could be you want more money to travel.
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Ways To Manage Your Symptoms
Treating your underlying condition will go a long way toward helping you resolve your issues with waking up. Whatever the cause, it will help to practice good sleep habits:
- Follow a schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to help control your body clock.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine: These can disrupt your sleep.
- Limit naps: Long naps in the daytime may make it hard to fall asleep at night. If you do need a catnap, donât rest for longer than 30 minutes, and donât snooze late in the day.
- Exercise: Daily physical activity can boost energy and might also help you sleep better. But donât overdo it too close to bedtime.
- Make your room sleep-friendly: Too much light or noise might make it hard to fall asleep. Use shades, earplugs, or a white noise machine to create a comfy place to sleep. Also, make sure your bedroom is cool. Between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal.
- Stay away from screens: Using tablets, phones, TVs, laptops, and other gadgets before bed can throw off your bodyâs clock. This can make it harder to go to sleep. Try to ditch the devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
Certain medicines or other therapies can also help you get a better nightâs rest.
Itâs important to see your doctor if you think you have dysania, or any sleep problem, so you can get the help you need.
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Start Each Morning With A Thankfulness Mantra
When youâre grappling with depression, it can be difficult to find joy in anything.
Lack of interest and an inability to find pleasure in things you used to is one of the symptoms of depression. Trying to remember â as difficult as it might be â that there are things in your life to be thankful for can actually motivate you to get moving in the morning.
âWhen you wake, begin with the thought, âWhat am I thankful for today?ââ recommends Dr. Beatrice Tauber Prior, a clinical psychologist, author, speaker, and owner of Harborside Wellbeing in North Carolina.
âThen ask yourself to get up for the thing you are grateful for,â says Dr. Prior.
You may be grateful that you have a job. You may be grateful for your pets or your children. You may be grateful that you have a roof over your head. It doesnât matter how big or small.
Find one thing that youâre deeply grateful for and use it to power you up and outta bed.
How To Get Out Of Bed When You Really Can’t
This article was co-authored by Alex Dimitriu, MD. Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine’s Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 432,904 times.
It’s a cold winter morning. The alarm is ringing but your bed is warm and comfortable. Still you have work, school, and life waiting for you and you’ve already hit snooze three times. This article will explain how to get out of bed when all you want to do is keep sleeping, and how to make the next morning a little easier.
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Tip : Eat A Healthy Depression
What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Reduce your intake of foods that can adversely affect your brain and mood, such as caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, and foods with high levels of chemical preservatives or hormones .
Dont skip meals. Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every three to four hours.
Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks, baked goods, or comfort foods such as pasta or French fries, but these feel-good foods quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy. Aim to cut out as much of these foods as possible.
Boost your B vitamins. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folic acid and B-12 can trigger depression. To get more, take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs.
Boost your mood with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.Omega-3 fatty acids play an essential role in stabilizing mood. The best sources are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, tuna, and some cold-water fish oil supplements.
Overwhelmed By Paper Clutter
If your house is completely overrun by paper clutter, its not your fault!
Paper comes into your house whether you want it to or not, despite your best intentions.
I have a very simple solution that will erase your paper clutter issue in about 5 minutes.
Step 1 Grab a box.
Step 2 Put all of the paper in it.
Thats it!
Why does this work?
Because from now on, youll know exactly where every piece of paper you need is AND youll know exactly where to put any paper that makes its way into your house.
From now on, the paper cycle in your home looks like this:
- Open your mail over the garbage or recycle bin
- Throw away any useless flyers, ads, etc.
- Add a reminder in your phone about upcoming bills, etc. Take a picture of the bill and add it to the reminder. This sounds complicated but takes 7 seconds. I know because Ive timed it.
- If you decide to keep it, drop it into your paper clutter bin.
- Repeat this with each paper you receive and throw papers away ruthlessly.
If Im in a huge hurry, sometimes I skip adding the image to my calendar, but I always take a picture of my bills with my phone.
This way, I have access to whatever phone numbers, account numbers, and payment information I need.
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Try An Alarm And Keep It Away
Often times, one of the easiest things to do when depressed in the morning and when you have no will to get on with the day, the best way to change that for good is by setting an alarm.
And before you revolt saying that it is the same old thing which you have tried but hasnt worked out, have you ever tried to set an alarm and keep it out of your reach? That is where the trick is. If you are suffering from morning depression stuck in bed, the best way to get over the problem is by setting an alarm and keeping it away from your reach.
When you keep it away from your reach, it becomes mandatory for you to walk over to the place where you have kept the alarm to finally switch it off. And once you get up from the bed, it becomes quite easier for you to overcome the unwillingness to get up and get along with what the day has in store for you.
Tip #2 Think About Breakfast
A cup of coffee or a platter of bacon and eggs can brighten ones day.
When you feel like not feeling anything, think about breakfast.
The sight of ham, bacon, eggs, and even waffles can stimulate hunger and make your stomach grumble.
But, on the other hand, it can motivate you to try to get yourself out of bed.
Keep in mind that this tip might not work for everyone as some of you might be going through a loss of appetite due to depression.
However, take note that eating something in the morning can stimulate your brain.
Also, it helps you wake up, even if it is just a slice of bread.
Also, take note that your stomach should not be empty when taking medications in the morning.
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Find A Noise That Helps
Sometimes, any noise can feel too much. It can hurt and make us want to cry. However, sometimes, a little noise can help. Whether it be music, the radio, the TV, or something else, background noise can help us to feel less alone. We might not be able to get as far as the living room to watch TV, but we can sometimes play things through our phone, or watch something on a laptop or tablet in bed.
How To Get A Depressed Person Out Of Bed
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