Adding Self Care for Depression to Your Routine

Most people are unaware of the benefits of self-care for depression. If you are looking for an effective tool to add to your treatment plan and counseling, consider prioritizing self-care. Self-care is not a cure in itself, but it can set you up for a more promising future in overcoming depression.

Self-Care for Depression Tips

Self-care for depression is all about prioritizing your physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health. Depression symptoms may worsen if one of these areas is unbalanced. For example, if you are living a life that is misaligned with your beliefs and values, you may experience more depression (and anxiety) symptoms.

An effective self-care plan for depression consists of addressing each of those areas. Add a new suggestion by stacking it onto an already established habit. For example, fill your water bottle while waiting for coffee to brew to start your morning on the right foot.

The following are tips for self-care for depression.

Take Small Steps

Trying to overhaul your life can be overwhelming and may trigger depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Taking small steps toward self-care for depression can make your new habits easier to stick with. Since depression can wipe away any motivation, consider the two-minute trick: give yourself two minutes to do a task. Chances are, once you get started, you will want to do more than two minutes, but two minutes is a doable time for most people.

Make Gentle Movement Part of the Day

Gentle movement should be a part of your everyday life. You don’t need hours in the gym to feel the effects of exercise. You can boost your mood in as little as 2, 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes. Consider taking a walk, streaming a short workout video, or jumping on the treadmill while you listen to music. Stretching is also a great time to relax and breathe deeply, calming the fight-or-flight response.

Create a Short Nighttime Routine

A nighttime routine is not a wasted effort. The structure behind the routine becomes the habit, and your mind can relax into it, reducing decision fatigue. Create a bedtime routine with only two or three tasks initially.

For example, choose tasks that make you feel relaxed. Maybe that is taking a warm bath or shower, changing into pajamas, brewing a cup of herbal tea, or reading a book. Repeat your routine nightly, even on the weekends, to solidify it.

Connect with Others

Depression makes you withdraw and isolate from loved ones. The urge to be alone is great, but socializing is critical to emerging from a depressive state. Connect with friends, family, or support groups through calls, video calls, or texts. Schedule a coffee or lunch date with a friend to catch up or invite a few people over to watch a comedy. Laughter is a natural antidepressant.

Choose One Healthy Meal at a Time

Fight those feelings of being overwhelmed by focusing on one task, project, meal, or snack at a time. Don’t try to change your eating habits all at once.

Ultra-processed foods can worsen depression symptoms, so try to remove those items from your diet and replace them with whole foods. You may want to take these changes even slower. Consider changing your breakfasts for one week, then focus on lunches the following week. Just choose one healthy meal a day if that’s all the mental bandwidth you have.

Replace Negative Self-Talk

Negative self-talk can deepen depression. Learn how to identify and reframe negative thoughts. Would you talk to your spouse, child, or parent the way you talk to yourself? You deserve more. Consult with a counselor about the root of your negative self-talk and find ways to reframe them into more beneficial messages. What you say, even to yourself, impacts your mindset.

Pray While Journaling

Journaling removes anxious and intrusive thoughts from your head and releases them onto the page. You can turn your journal into a prayer book, recording your prayers and God’s answers. You can use it as a love letter to God as you work through things, identify thought or behavior patterns, or as a gratitude journal. If you feel led, consider allowing your counselor to read snippets if you need help identifying thoughts and emotions.

Local Help for Depression

Depression, if left untreated, can lead to serious mental conditions, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts and attempts. There is help beyond self-care for depression. Our Christian counseling center can connect you to a counselor specializing in depression treatment. Call or click today to get started.