Stress is a complicated beast, and we all react a bit differently to it. What may severely stress one person may not stress another person at all; or what causes mild stress in one person may cause major stress in another. Believe it or not, we actually need a little bit of stress in our lives to help keep us moving and to motivate us, but too much stress can have a number of negative effects… and it can lead to depression.
Stress can be overwhelming to people who are predisposed to depression. It can spark a depressive episode, or add fuel to the fire if someone is already experiencing symptoms of depression.
If you feel you may be prone to depression it is important to understand what causes you undue stress, and to know what you can do to minimize the stress in your life.
Know Your Triggers
Understanding what causes or increases your stress level is an important first step in trying to manage your stress. Too many commitments, conflicts with others or financial problems are common stressors. Once you determine what causes you the most stress, you can try to take steps to manage or reduce these triggers. This may mean learning to say no, changing the way you react to certain people (or interacting with them less often) or setting and following a reasonable budget.
Stay Connected
When stress leads to depression some people start to withdraw from others, which can make things worse. Try to maintain your healthy relationships with family, friends and co-workers. Sometimes they can give you a different perspective or helpful advice. But more importantly those connections can help create a sense of belonging, and this in turn can help ease feelings of depression and stress.
Get Regular Exercise
Getting regular exercise is important for everyone, but if you are experiencing increased stress or feelings of depression it is especially beneficial. Exercise can help you release that pent up energy in a healthy way, or if you’re feeling depressed it can jump start your system and improve your mental state. It gets your heart pumping, circulating oxygen to cells throughout your body and it helps you sleep better, which is also vital when you are experiencing feelings of stress or depression.
Try To Change Your Perspective
This can seem challenging at first, but changing the way you view things can make a big difference in your mental state. Try to start looking at the positive instead of the negative in situations. And express gratitude for all of the good things you have in life. Appreciating what you have instead of mourning over what you don’t have can help you see your life in a new perspective.
Maintain Regular Healthy Habits
Taking care of yourself can help reduce stress and help improve your confidence, which can help reduce feelings of depression. Maintaining regular healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits can have a big impact on your mental state. Eating healthy will nourish your mind and body to help it better deal with stress. Getting regular sleep will help reduce cravings for unhealthy foods and improve your daily level of functioning. Exercise will help reduce stress and feelings of depression, and it will help you sleep better at night. Maintaining healthy habits can create a positive domino effect that will help you feel better, function better and even look better.
Incorporate Proven Therapies or Supplements
Studies have shown that regular meditation can help reduce stress and help you think more clearly. This is something anyone can do — it doesn’t have to cost anything or require any special gadgets.
You may also want to consider taking a quality Rhodiola Rosea supplement. Rhodiola rosea is one of the few herbal remedies that has been proven to help your body deal with both physical and mental stress. It has also helped many people suffering from mild forms of depression. While it is no substitute for therapy and it won’t magically make feelings of depression completely disappear, it has helped many people better deal with their depression. For more information on taking the right dosage for stress or depression click here.
Know When To Get Help
We all experience varying levels of stress and feelings of depression over a lifetime, but it is important to know when to get help. While these tips may be able to help, if your stress or feelings of depression are too severe you may need to seek professional help. Knowing when to get help is a valuable tip in itself, as there is no substitute for professional help when you know you can’t do it on your own.