Depression? 5 scientific tips that can make you happier

(Image: Pexels/Andrew Neel)

Depression is something you wouldn’t wish on even your worst enemy. Of course you want to get rid of those terrible, depressed thoughts as soon as possible. Fortunately, there are many things you can do yourself to feel a little better.

Ben Rein, a neuroscientist at Stanford University, became extremely popular after one of his videos went viral in 2020. Since then, he has been posting TikToks full of tidbits about neuroscience. His videos are viewed thousands of times and that gives him 600,000 followers.

Suffering from depression? Maybe these tips will help you

The neuroscientist is also concerned with mental health. He is currently researching the causes and solutions of depression. He gives the magazine Popular Mechanics five different tips that can help against depression.

1. Get enough sleep for depression

When you sleep, the brain processes the information and emotion you have felt throughout the day. If you sleep too little, your gray matter will have too little time to give everything a place. This ensures that you are more restless during the day and worry more. That could just lead to depression. That is why it is extremely important that you get at least seven hours of sleep every day.

Sleep well. (Afbeelding: Pexels / Andrea Piacquadio)

2. Eat healthy

The gut is often referred to as the second brain and for good reason. The brain and the gastrointestinal tract are very closely linked. Your gastrointestinal tract is home to billions of bacteria that affect the production of neurotransmitters. These are chemicals that constantly carry messages from the gut to the brain. Eating healthy foods promotes the growth of “good” bacteria, which in turn positively influence the production of neurotransmitters. When the production of neurotransmitters is in good condition, your brain receives positive messages and the chances of depression are reduced. In this article we explain which diet is the most effective.

Healthy food! (Image: Unsplash)

3. Yoga for Depression

Practicing yoga regularly also affects the neurotransmitters in your brain, but in a different way. While doing yoga exercises, the body produces GABA. This is a chemical that inhibits nervous or stressed signals in the brain, making it less likely to develop anxiety or depression. In 2010, Streeter compared this effect to walking. The organization found that GABA levels were significantly higher with yoga than with walking. You don’t have to be a yoga expert at all to take advantage of this. Already with one hour of yoga per day you create a lot more GABA.

He pays well (Image: Fitbit)

4. Keep in touch with the outside world

Loneliness is one of the biggest causes of depression. This is because humans are real group animals. To function mentally it is essential that we have regular social contact. If you live in isolation, your thoughts quickly take over and your insecurities come to the fore. So make sure you visit friends and family enough and do fun things with them. And if you don’t have anyone to do anything for a while, go do things yourself.

Spend enough time with friends. (Image: Pexels/Toa Heftiba Şinca)

5. Mindfulness

Imagine you are just starting your day, waking up and getting ready for work. When you leave the house, you start to get stressed from an approaching deadline. If these moments occur more often in a week, this can develop into a serious depression. Fortunately, you can remedy moments of stress by practicing mindfulness. By breathing deeply and reflecting on the here and now, you often find out what is causing your stress. That way you can change your routine slightly before you get that stress next time.

Suffering from negative feelings? This just might be the solution

These advices are never a substitute for professional mental help. Still, it can be a nice support to feel a little better. If you have serious mental complaints, take a look at MIND Kor Relatie. Here you can call or chat with a care provider.

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5 scientific tips to significantly reduce the risk of depression