5. Recovery Tools - Taking Care of You

Taking Care of You

Mental and physical health aren't two separate things. You're one whole person, body and mind. If your mental health isn't great, you can get physical symptoms like pain or immune issues. If your physical health is poor, you may struggle mentally too. To build a healthy mind, you'll need to take care of you.

Your body and mind are linked – they're both a part of you. To help your brain heal, you'll need to take good care of your physical health. A healthier, more powerful body creates brain pathways that you need to fight back against depression and anxiety. Here are some things you can try to build a stronger body and mind

Get some exercise, even a little
It's hard to think of moving when you're exhausted and overwhelmed, but even five minutes a day helps to strengthen healthy brain pathways and gives you a boost of energy. Check out the "Moving Your Body" article for exercise ideas.

Practice good sleep hygiene
Depression and anxiety are linked to poor sleep, so you may have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much or too little. Regular, healthy sleep is one of the best things you can give to your body and your brain. Sleep is healing, and we don't function very well without it. Read "How to Get Better Sleep" for tips to get the rest you need.

Remember to eat, but only at mealtimes
Sometimes depression and anxiety make you lose your appetite entirely. Other times, your hunger
gets out of control, making you want to eat all the time. Your body needs fuel to function but in healthy amounts. Find balance by setting regular mealtimes, avoiding snacks between meals, and eating at least something at each meal. Moving every day might also help your appetite.

A Mediterranean diet with olive oil and nuts helps improve mental health in some people. But the most important dietary advice is to eat healthy, balanced meals whenever possible. If you're too tired to cook, grab salads, or whole fruits and veggies, and consider buying prepared meals sometimes until you get more energy.

Avoid alcohol and unprescribed drugs
Alcohol is a depressant – not something you want to put in your body if you're hoping to feel less depressed. Many treatment clinics encourage their patients to give it up altogether. And drugs that your doctor didn’t prescribe could react badly with current medications, or change brain functioning in ways that counteract your treatment. Talk to your doctor before starting any new medications.

Face-to-face connections are best
Talking to friends online can do some good when there's no other option, but your brain needs in-person community to thrive. On social media, you'll see a carefully curated collection of highlights from other people's lives, and comparing your daily life with other people's highlights can leave you feeling behind and alone. In one study, a group of people showed improvement from their depression simply by deleting a popular social media platform. If you do choose to use social media, be responsible. Choose set times to check in, and log out during other times to avoid endless scrolling. And most of all, include face-to-face connections whenever you can.