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It's an understatement to say that the last year has been stressful. These 9 tips will show you how managing your depression and anxiety naturally are possible.

Do you suffer from anxiety or depression?

If so, you’re not alone. Current rates are at an all-time high - in part due to the very stressful last year we have all been faced with.

Much like any other health issue, research into anxiety and depression all too often focuses on treatments and managing symptoms while ignoring the underlying problem. 

In many cases, as with my husband following his TBI, this leads to people suffering unduly while they search fruitlessly for solutions - often feeling alone and let down by the allopathic medical system.

If you can relate, especially in terms of your mental health and wellbeing, then please read this week’s blog. You’ll discover 9 tips on how managing your depression and anxiety naturally are possible.

Much like any other health issue, research surrounding anxiety and depression often focuses on treatments and managing symptoms while ignoring the underlying problem. 

In many cases, as with my husband following his TBI, this leads to people unduly suffering. At the same time, they search fruitlessly for solutions - often feeling alone and let down by the allopathic medical system. 

If you can relate, especially in terms of your mental health and wellbeing, please keep reading.

Why have rates skyrocketed? In recent times, the main reasons are due to issues surrounding politics, civil unrest, and an ongoing pandemic. Any one of these issues would make it difficult to cope without assistance, let alone all of them at once!

In the summer of 2020, 40% of adults in the US reported struggling with issues related to substance abuse and overall mental health. The problems causing these issues aren’t going to evaporate, so it’s up to you to find solutions that work for you.

The following list provides natural steps you can take at home to bolster yourself against the world’s many troubles naturally and manage your depression or anxiety.

How to Manage Depression and Anxiety Naturally

Removing the problems that catapult you into episodes of anxiety or depression is a fine idea. However, the people who deal with these issues understand that doing so is often impossible. Many people must face stressors each day to go about their lives. 

Work, friends, children, family, and education are all wonderful elements that make life more full and worthwhile. They also happen to be major catalysts of internal issues. Rather than remove yourself from society to avoid stress, learn to bolster yourself internally. 

You can also try one (or several) of the following nine tips to help manage your depression or anxiety naturally:

1. Naps

Sometimes you simply run out of energy. Living takes a lot of oomph, and when you run out of oomph, you start eating up reserves.

A 20-minute nap can provide a boost of energy that helps keep your head clear and resets your physiology to absorb the stressors of the day. 

Of course, anyone dealing with a brain injury may argue this doesn’t work for them. That’s because their energy reserves have been so depleted and cannot fully recharge. Though a nap may not give them the boost they need, any additional rest or naps they can achieve can still be beneficial - even if they don’t notice a difference in energy levels. 

2. Deep Breaths

Your body runs on a complex series of chemical processes working in tandem. Most of those systems need raw energy in the form of iron and oxygen-rich blood. 

When you get stressed, you start breathing in shallow, rapid breaths. This type of breathing leaves your blood thin on oxygen and creates a chain reaction of stress build-up. To help, take a few deep breaths. Doing so can get the blood oxygenated to support your systems to manage and maintain health. 

As few as three long, slow, deep breaths can start engaging your parasympathetic nervous system to reduce cortisol levels and help you relax. And if three deep breaths are all it takes to start lowering cortisol levels, imagine what three minutes of deep breathing could do!

3. Omega-3 Supplements

What you eat also helps or hinders your internal processes. The healthy oils in fish, nuts, and dark greens provide essential nutrients that combat the deficits created by anxiety. 

Data from a Brazilian study indicated that consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids benefited and protected those with anxiety disorders. With a high (but balanced) intake of additional Omega 3s, your brain can better manufacture mood-elevating chemicals.

Another good reason to increase your omega 3 fatty acid intake is to help reduce inflammation. This is important because an anxious mind indicates the presence of cerebral inflammation. Discover other brain-boosting effects omega 3’s can have on your health.  

4. Lower Caffeine Intake

Sleep is an immensely valuable tool in letting your body reset and maintain peak function. Too much caffeine can interrupt your sleep and waking cycles, creating an ongoing set of stressors that leave you tired and worn down.

Too much caffeine also spikes anxiety, pushing your brain into overdrive where you think about the wrong things and stop moving along with your day. 

Though most people’s sleep won’t be disrupted if they consume caffeine as late as 2 pm, if you are prone to restless nights and suffer anxiety or depression, you may need to cut out all caffeine past noon or 11 am. Experiment with earlier cut-off times to see if that helps you get a night of better sleep. And if limiting your caffeine intake to earlier in the day still doesn’t help, consider cutting it out entirely. 

If the thought of that alone increases anxiety levels, then try switching to better quality coffee beans. Many beans that come pre-ground are of poor quality and contain mould or mycotoxins, which negatively affect brain health and function. 

Plus, keep in mind that coffee isn’t the only source of caffeine. Chocolate, tea, and sugary sodas are among other popular choices that also contain caffeine. 

5. Lower Alcohol Intake

On the other side of the substance abuse spectrum are depressants. Alcohol sucks away energy and leaves you tired and unable to get enough done in a day.

What doesn’t get done one day carries over to the next and the next, and so on. This vicious cycle can create additional anxiety and depression as common daily tasks start piling up and become overwhelming.

Far too many people start their day with caffeine to get them going, consume more caffeine throughout the day to function, then drink alcohol to calm themselves down at night. This rubber band effect is far harsher on you than the processes already inside that help you become alert and settle down. 

If you find yourself locked in this trip, start by limiting both your caffeine and alcohol consumption. If you can’t do it on your own, or if the prospect of this stirs up more anxiety, it’s time to seek professional help.

6. Exercise

Getting up and moving gets the blood flowing. Blood is good, we’ve covered that already. 

Exercise builds up positive energy stores, regulates your body systems and improves blood flow to your brain. A sedentary lifestyle packs in fats that suck up reserves of vitamins B and E. You need these nutrients running through your system to regulate hormones and neural responses.

Want even better news? Exercise is easily the second most important natural solution to depression. 

7. Pain Relief

If you are in physical pain from an injury, a lack of sleep, or imbalances in your sinus pressure, it’s tough to stay positive and keep going about your day.

If depression and anxiety are forms of mental pain for you, physical pain is certainly going to make them worse. 

Rather than overdoing it, work on addressing the source of your pain and treating that. When you are pain-free, you aren’t just healthy; you feel amazing. Those extra good feelings are your body’s way of letting you know that things are moving along properly. 

8. Hobbies

Some manifestations of anxiety are your onboard processors looking for something to do. Keep your mind as busy as you keep your body, and you’ll find fewer detritus to get hung up upon.

Hobbies are, in many ways, exercise for your mind. They get you thinking about something outside of your daily routine (as has been mentioned) that is often the source of your problems.

Hobbies are also an excellent way to express negative feelings you garner from your regular daily routine. It’s easy to be frustrated with family or a coworker, but yelling at them only adds more negativity to the situation. Put that rage on display in a painting, a pot, or a photo, and you’ll make the world that much better. 

9. Moderation

Balance isn’t just a beam in a gymnastics class, it’s an indicator of health. Too much of anything creates a problem that ripples through everything connected to it.

Unfortunately, human inertia also exists. People tend to get caught up in the moment and keep going unless something stops them. This is why you may eat too much cake, strain a muscle doing too much exercise, or don’t get enough sleep because you put in too many hours at the office.

Look for places in your life you can't stop thinking and worrying about, then do less of those things. 

Simply put, less is more. It’s a deceptively simple natural anxiety solution we tend to forget. 

Feed Your Need

Each of these tips helps to provide your body with resources to cope with the ongoing pressures of your life. Depression and anxiety aren’t the kinds of things you lay to rest once and for all but need to stay vigilant and healthy to resist long-term.

For more information on how diet and nutrition affect health, contact me. 

As always, I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know what you think by dropping me a line or commenting below.

If you haven’t already done so, please sign up to receive my newsletters for more information about brain health, neuronutrition, lifestyle tips, and nutritional advice. Of course, if I can help you or a loved one with your nutritional needs, make an appointment to see me today!

[Medical Disclaimer]

All information contained in this document is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent health problems. For all serious health issues, please contact a medical or nutrition practitioner. The information provided is based on the best knowledge of the author at the time of writing, and we do not assume liability for the information, be it direct or indirect, consequential, special exemplary, or other damages. In all circumstances, it is always wise to consult your physician before changing your diet, taking supplements, or starting any exercise or health program.