Home Stoic Manliness Outside The Box Formula To Fight Depression Daily

Outside The Box Formula To Fight Depression Daily

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Depression is more common today than at any other age in time…

And as I discuss in my free book, The Man Diet, (grab your FREE copy here), depression isn’t so much an outside force that invades and pervades every area of our lives as much as it’s the result of a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and a barrage of mismanaged habits we’ve inherited as a culture.

The bottom line is that if you’re struggling with depression today, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Check out this outside the box formula to fight depression daily.

Sleep Well

The amount of sleep you get (or don’t get) has a massive impact on your mood.

In fact, depression and sleep disorders are so connected that, according to a comprehensive study conducted by Clinical Interventions in Aging, “sleep disorders are so frequently associated with depression that, in the absence of sleep complaints, a diagnosis of depression should be made with caution.”

And in a 2015 study, research confirmed that men and women with insomnia have greater anxiety and depression levels than those who don’t…

So the first part of the formula to fight depression daily is to sleep better…

The best way to get better sleep is to create a sleep schedule.

Go to sleep at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning…

After a while your body will fall into a pattern of consistent, quality sleep and you won’t suffer from depression that results from sleep depravity.

Journal

Another aspect of the outside the box formula to fight depression daily is to journal…

Journaling allows you to filter out your thoughts – to get them down on paper and out of your mind so that you’re not harboring them throughout the day or while you’re trying to sleep.

So I recommend journaling when you wake up…

It’s a stress-free way to start your day, to put together a plan, and to formulate order when you have a long to-do list.

Also, spend some time journaling before bed.

You’ll lower your cortisol (stress hormone) levels and as a result keep anxiety away when you’re trying to sleep, which as I mentioned, is crucial for your fight against depression.

Exercise

Many comprehensive studies have concluded that exercise is a key lifestyle component that we all need in order to fight depression daily

And there are many theories as to why…

Such as the Thermogenic Hypothesis (a rise in core body temperature after exercise reduces symptoms of depression), Endorphin Hypothesis (increased endorphin release post-workout reduces symptoms of depression), Monoamine Hypothesis (exercise leads to a greater release of brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine) and more.

Not to mention the superficial but true element that if you look good you feel good.

So get your heart rate up a bit…

Go for a walk or two a day…

Get in the gym…

Get some exercise in daily, and you’ll notice major changes in your battle against depression.

I’ve got the ideal testosterone boosting workout that fight depression in my free book, The Man Diet, which you can grab for yourself here.

Social Interaction

Yes…

This one requires that you get around people.

Social interaction, camaraderie and laughter are all important for you to fight depression daily.

According to a study published by BioMed Central Psychiatry, social interaction is a “lifestyle medicine” that has been proven to increase overall feelings of wellbeing and to relieve symptoms of depression.

Also, laughter, which occurs most frequently when you’re with others, lowers cortisol levels, and in turn anxiety and depression.

So go out with your buddies…

Watch a comedy with your wife and kids…

Interact. Laugh. And fight depression while you’re at it.

Get Outside

Sunlight exposure and depression have a direct correlation with one another…

According to a 2009 study, participants who were exposed to greater amounts of sunlight had better cognitive function.

Also, spending time in the sun regulates melatonin production so that when it’s time to get some sleep (see the first point if you need to be reminded how important sleep is) you’ll fall asleep faster and you’ll have a better quality of sleep at that.

Getting outside is a multi-faceted way to fight depression daily…

But wait…

Don’t leave just yet.

I’ve got two more tips for you.

Talk About It

Listen…

If you’re anxious about something, talk about it.

You don’t need to whine about it…

Just talk about it with someone…

Get advice for how to handle difficulty in your marriage or a stressful relationship with one of your kids.

Talk with a close buddy about a tough project at work…

And don’t forget that counselors are always an option.

The bottom line, is that you know what it feels like to get something off of your chest at the right time to the right people…

Do more of that.

Wind Down

Like I mentioned earlier, you don’t want to go to bed all wound up…

Instead, you need to clear your mind, clock out, and give your mind a rest for the night…

To wind down, I recommend keeping off of your phone, computer or television at least 2 hours before you go to sleep…

Blue light from your device will keep you awake by suppressing your melatonin (your sleep hormone) production.

Instead, read a book or, like I mentioned above, journal…

I recommend that you finish off journaling at the end of the night with a good ole’ brain dump…

Meaning that you write everything down that you may be tempted to think about before you go to sleep: It could include the groceries you need to pick up at the store tomorrow, the name of cute girl you met at bowling night, an idea for a work project, and so on…

Write it down on paper so that you don’t subconsciously try to remember it when you shut out the lights.

Call To Action

There you have it, guys…

The outside the box formula to fight depression daily.

All of the aspects of the formula are simple enough to add to your day, if not everyday, at least a few times a week.

So be sure to implement them.

I go into more detail on how to fight depression daily in my free book, The Man Diet, which you can grab here.

the man diet free boo

It’ll revolutionize the way you eat, train and generally live so that you’ll boost testosterone and fight depression while you’re at it.

Don’t miss your opportunity to grab your free copy today.

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Chad Howse

Chad’s mission is to get you in the arena, ‘marred by the dust and sweat and blood’, to help you set and achieve audacious goals in the face of fear, and not only build your ideal body, but the life you were meant to live.

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