Preventing depression is possible by managing stress and applying lifestyle changes like exercising. Here’s how to avoid depression through preventive care.

Depression is a serious, potentially debilitating condition. It dramatically impacts your emotional, social, mental, and physical health and reduces your body’s ability to function well, affecting your quality of life.

While it’s advisable to get professional medical help for depression, there are other ways to reduce the symptoms. For instance, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and quality sleep can go a long way to staying mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy.

You should also learn your triggers, build healthy relationships, and follow a treatment plan to avoid depression symptoms. Read on to learn how you can prevent the effects of depression.

What is depression, and what are the symptoms to look out for?

Depression is a prevalent mood disorder that affects around 280 million people worldwide. It’s a severe condition that influences the way you feel, think, and act.

Due to its severe effects, depression negatively impacts your overall health and can seriously affect many areas of your life, including family dynamics, productivity in the workplace, and relationships.

Low mood and inability to feel joy or pleasure are the key defining symptoms of depression. In addition to these, the condition can lead to various other symptoms such as:

• Hopelessness
• Deep and constant sadness
• Low self-esteem
• Loneliness
• Self-isolation
• Irritability
• Self-harm
• Sleeping problems
• Trouble concentrating
• Suicidal thoughts

Depression manifests itself in different forms as it combines various symptoms. When symptoms last for two weeks without relief, it’s considered a major depressive disorder, or clinical depression. When they last two years or more, the condition is known as persistent depressive disorder, or dysthymia.

How to prevent depression

Various measures can help prevent the overwhelming effects of depression. These measures entail everything from stress management techniques to therapies and medication. Here are the best ways to prevent depression.

Manage your stress

Knowing how to cope with stress can help prevent mental health issues like anxiety and depression. You learn how to reduce your propensity to feel stress by:

• Seeking help and support from your loved ones
• Reaching out to mental health professionals for help
• Practicing meditation or mindfulness
• Avoiding overcommitting to people or things
• Learning to let go of things that are beyond your control

While stress affects all people, whether young or adults, it is avoidable. You must create a positive response to stressors instead of letting them control you. This improves your mental health and can help stave off episodes of depression.

Eat a healthy diet

A well-balanced diet supplies your body with essential nutrients that help maintain your mental and physical health. This reduces the risk of developing depressive episodes.

To avoid depression:

• Eat a balanced diet rich in lean protein and fruits and vegetables
• Avoid processed foods
• Reduce consumption of foods rich in sugar and fats
• Eat foods with plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, such as nuts and salmon
• Adopt a Mediterranean diet which includes:
• Olive oil
• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Low-fat products
• Consume anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich foods like kale, collards, spinach, salmon, and nuts

These measures enrich your body and mind with healthy nutrients and minerals, benefitting your mental and physical health and preventing risks linked to depression.

Exercise regularly

Regular workouts help make your body and mind stronger and more resilient to stress. They increase the production of endorphins and reduce stress hormones like cortisol. This boosts your mood and encourages positive feelings.

Exercises increase your body temperature by encouraging more blood flow, providing a calming effect on your central nervous system.

Physical activity also keeps your mind busy, distracting you from negative emotions and thoughts, allowing you to take your mind off your problems and focus on positive feelings.

There are lots of ways to add exercise into your life, including:

• Joining a sports club, team, or studio
• Taking the stairs rather than the elevator
• Creating an exercise routine

Maintaining or following a regular workout routine is effective in preventing depression. It allows you to stay fit and reduce stress levels for a happier, more fulfilling life.

Get adequate sleep

Getting enough quality sleep helps prevent depression as it restores your strength. Your core systems recharge to help fight infections and maintain physical and mental health.

A good 7–9 hours of sleep boosts your focus and improves your mental acuity. You become more active, think properly, and better manage your feelings.

For a good night’s sleep, consider:

• Meditating before going to bed
• Having a comfortable place to sleep
• Avoiding caffeine products in the evening
• Keeping away blue-light devices, such as your phone

People with sleep disorders are ten times more likely to develop depression than those who sleep well. Practice the above measures to help improve your sleep quality and avoid depression.

Learn what triggers your depressive episodes

Often, depressive episodes are triggered by outside forces that you may not even be aware of initially. These triggers could be fear, an object, people, or traumatic events. They may haunt you after every depressive episode, worsening the condition.

Take time to know yourself. Pay close attention to the factors that worsen your symptoms, so you become more aware of the underlying causes of your depression. This helps you find a way to overcome pain and trauma.

Get support from your loved ones or a doctor to help you through depressive episodes and avoid them in the future.

Build healthy relationships

Creating a strong support network is an excellent preventive care measure for depression. The support network allows you to interact with others and enjoy a healthy social life. According to research, adequate social support helps prevent depression by promoting your mental health.

Connect with friends and family more often. Avoid interacting with toxic people, as they may negatively influence your mood and behavior. If possible, attend social events and discover new hobbies that allow you to meet new people. Such measures help build new healthy relationships and protect you against depression.

Follow a treatment plan

If you’ve already experienced a depressive episode, the probability of experiencing another increases. That’s why you must follow your prescribed treatment plan. This plan may include medication and therapy, depending on your condition. You should:

• Finish your medication doses as prescribed
• Practice therapy strategies and mechanisms provided by your physician
• Schedule regular visits with your therapist

With such preventive care, controlling depressive moods can become a little easier. Your treatment plan is more effective and will allow you to return to your usual chipper, social self quickly!

Get the most effective preventive care

While preventive care for depression might seem like a lot to tackle, you don’t have to do it all at once, and you don’t have to do it alone. Start with easier practices and advance with time. Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and get enough quality sleep. For even better results, consult a certified mental health doctor to get help.

At ModRN Health , we’re your one-stop shop for finding the best preventive care and health products at affordable prices. Our easy-to-use search engine allows you to compare different treatment plans with ease. You will have access to incredible discounts and coupons, making your depression treatment and prevention affordable. Sign up today for free to get started!