Basic Self-Care
Self-care includes the various ways that we look after ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally. While self-care can look different from person to person, there are some types that we recommend for everyone: good sleep, physical activity, and attending to your own nutritional needs. These are the foundation of basic physical and mental health and, without this foundation, you may find you're more vulnerable to depressive symptoms.
Sleep and Exercise
Research shows that you need 7-8 hours of sleep consistently every night in order to be well-rested and perform optimally. While we sleep, our brain is hard at work forming pathways for learning and consolidating information we’ve taken in that day. Sleep also helps regulate our mood and weight.
While it may be common in college to pull all-nighters, anything less than the 7-8 hours a night consistently will impact your functioning. Sleep deprivation will impact your mood, your energy, your grades, your ability to focus and your ability to concentrate in class and on homework. Even 1 or 2 hours of sleep deprivation a night can have an impact on your brain. Similarly, research shows that sleeping too much, which can often happen when we are depressed, increases our risk of diabetes, headaches, and can exacerbate symptoms of depression.
In addition to good sleep, research has shown that exercise is important in combating symptoms of depression. Exercise leads to positive changes, both short and long term. In the short term, exercise releases endorphins, which are powerful chemicals in your brain that can improve mood, energy levels, and concentration, often leading to feelings of euphoria. Over time, consistent exercise promotes long-term changes in the brain, resulting in improved memory, coping, cognitive functioning, mood, and self-esteem.
It's easy to see that both sleep and exercise are important tools to help manage mood. However, when we're depressed, we can find it challenging to take care of ourselves and may find that our sleep and exercise habits are disrupted. How then, when we're experiencing depression, can we take steps to improve our sleep and exercise? Click here for Sleep Hygiene and Exercise Tips to consider ways to improve your sleep hygiene and to review some tips for exercise.
Nutrition
When experiencing depression, many people notice changes to their appetites or eating patterns. Research shows that individuals experiencing depression often have deficiencies in vitamins (like B6, Thiamine) and minerals (calcium, iron) that are linked to mood and present in a well-balanced diet.
Recommendations on appropriate nutrition are outside the scope of this workshop. However, we do recommend that individuals experiencing depression focus on staying hydrated and working towards a balanced diet. We also encourage students to speak with medical doctors about their vitamin and mineral levels and to follow-up with a Registered Dietician, where you can obtain more personalized feedback on food and nutrition.