Six Healthy Lifestyle Practices to Alleviate Depression Symptoms

Causes of Depression

Depression can arise from a multitude of factors, such as genetic, environmental, psychological, and biochemical ones.

Risk factors for depression

A person is more likely to experience depression if they have trauma, significant life changes, stress, a family history of depression, physical illnesses (like diabetes, cancer, or Parkinson’s disease), or as a side effect of certain medications.

Diagnosis of major depression disorder

A minimum of two weeks must pass with some of these symptoms and signs being presented almost daily to be diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder:

Common symptoms of depression
The common symptoms of depression include.

• Persistent sadness,
• Hopelessness,
• Pessimism,
• Emptiness,
• Lack of energy,
• Feeling guilty or unworthy. The lack of interest or pleasure in pastimes,
• Alterations in appetite that result in either weight gain or loss,
• Slower speech, movement, or thought.
• Increased fidgeting
• Difficulty focusing, thinking coherently, or making decisions
• Suicidal thoughts, suicidal attempts, thoughts of death, or self-harming behavior

Lifestyle Practices to Alleviate Depression Symptoms

1. Self-care. Practice stress-reduction techniques like tai chi or meditation. Get enough sleep, exercise, and eat a balanced diet. For the most part, adults require 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Refrain from using recreational drugs and alcohol, as these can exacerbate symptoms and complicate the treatment of depression.
2. Educating family and friends about depression: They can assist you in identifying early indicators that your depression might be relapsing.
3. Maintain your treatment regimen. Continue taking your medication and attending therapy sessions even after you feel better. Sudden medication discontinuation may result in withdrawal symptoms and a relapse of depression. If necessary, work with your physician to modify your medication or dosage to adhere to your treatment plan.
4. Make modest, achievable goals: realistic goals to increase motivation and self-assurance. During the first stages of care, you might want to walk, have lunch with a friend, or make a bed. Gradually increase your goals as you get better.
5. Identify the warning signs: Determine what triggers your depression, and if you notice any unusual changes in your feelings, thoughts, or behavior, speak with your doctor or a mental health professional. Keep a journal of your daily emotions, feelings, and reactions to identify trends and identify the things that lead to depression.
6. Seek support. Maintaining relationships with people is crucial, especially during difficult times or periods, regardless of whether you receive support from family or a support group.
   Key Strategies to Cope with Stress

   Stress has a significant impact on overall health, playing a crucial role in the development of various diseases and placing a substantial strain on the healthcare system (Shchaslyvyi et al., 2024). It is closely linked to numerous long-term health problems, especially cardiovascular conditions, which are often worsened by daily psychosocial pressures like job-related stress (Shchaslyvyi et al.,2024) It is essential to understand the healthy ways to cope with or manage stress.

   Various strategies recommended according to the CDC (2025)

   1. Take Care of Your Mind

   Limit news and social media exposure: Excessive exposure to harmful or distressing news can exacerbate stress.

   Make time to unwind: Incorporate relaxation practices such as deep breathing, stretching, or meditation.

   Keep a journal: Writing can help you process emotions, reflect on your thoughts, and release tension.

   Spend time outdoors: Whether you are being active (walking, hiking) or just relaxing outside, nature can be a calming presence.

   Practice gratitude: Regularly noting things you are grateful for helps improve emotional well-being.

   Connect with others: Talking to trusted friends, family, or community/faith-based groups provides support.

   2. Take Care of Your Body

   Get enough sleep: The CDC recommends 7 hours or more per night for adults and suggests maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.

   Move more: Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress; even small amounts can help.

   Eat well: A balanced diet (fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, low-fat dairy) supports both physical and mental health.

   Limit alcohol and avoid substance misuse: Moderating alcohol intake, avoiding illegal drugs, and not misusing prescription medication are essential.

   Avoid tobacco: Smoking, vaping, and the use of other tobacco products can worsen stress or its effects.

   Stay up to date with healthcare: Regular check-ups, screenings, and vaccinations help you maintain your physical health — which can help buffer stress.

   3. Integrate Physical and Mental Health

   The CDC emphasizes that mental well-being and physical health are closely linked. Regular physical activity is not only good for the body but also supports emotional resilience.

   It encourages finding a “right combination” of coping techniques that work for you — not everyone copes the same way.

   4. Know When to Seek Extra Support

   The CDC notes that while stress is everyday, chronic stress (long-term) can lead to serious health problems.

   If you’re struggling to cope or stress is affecting your daily life, it’s okay to reach out for help. They list resources, including crisis lines.

   Sources

   CDC. (2025)

    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(8), 1077–1077. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21081077

   Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors: Measures for Reduction

   Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is a chronic and intricate ailment associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, primarily attributed to atherosclerotic lesions in coronary vessels, ultimately leading to myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. Unhealthy eating habits, often influenced by chronic inflammation, are closely linked to CHD. Various health conditions, lifestyle choices, as well as your age and family history, can elevate the risk of developing heart disease; approximately 47% of Americans have at least one of the three primary risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and smoking. Certain risk factors for heart disease, such as age or family history, are beyond your control. However, you can proactively reduce your risk by changing the factors you can control.

   Behaviors that heighten the risk for heart disease are

   • Smoking: The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that cardiovascular disease causes 800,000 deaths and 400,000 premature deaths per year. About one-fifth and one-third of these result from smoking, respectively. Additionally, research reported that smoking resulted in a 51% increased risk of coronary heart disease in patients with diabetes. Cigarette smoking has the potential to harm the heart and blood vessels, amplifying the risk for heart conditions like atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Even nonsmokers face an increased risk of heart disease when exposed to secondhand smoke.
   • Excessive alcohol consumption can elevate blood pressure and elevate the risk of heart disease. It also leads to increased triglyceride levels, a fatty substance in the blood associated with an elevated risk of heart disease.
   • Sedentary lifestyle: Insufficient physical activity is a precursor to heart disease and can strengthen the likelihood of other medical conditions that serve as risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Engaging in regular physical activity can effectively decrease the risk of heart disease.
   • Unhealthy Eating Habits: A diet rich in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol has been associated with heart disease and related conditions like atherosclerosis. Recent research has provided more explicit evidence that trans-fat significantly raises the risk of cardiovascular disease by adversely affecting lipids, endothelial function, insulin resistance, and inflammation. For each 2% increase in calories consumed from trans-fat, there is a 23% higher risk of coronary artery disease. Recent studies and systematic reviews have focused on red and processed meat consumption. The research consistently demonstrates an increased risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular events. The risk ranges from 15% to 29% higher with red meat consumption and 23% to 42% higher with processed meat consumption

   Measures for Reducing the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

   •  Educating children and adolescents about the dangers of smoking to deter the initiation of tobacco use. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) reported that the risk of coronary artery disease decreases to the level of lifetime nonsmokers within four years of quitting and within ten years. 
   • The DASH, Mediterranean, and vegetarian diets have the most evidence for cardiovascular disease prevention. The DASH diet has been shown to lower systolic blood pressure by up to 11.5 mmHg in adults with hypertension. Additionally, reported findings indicate a 21% reduction in coronary artery disease risk with adopting the DASH diet.
   •  The American Heart Association suggests substituting saturated fat with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. A 5% shift from saturated fat to polyunsaturated fat consumption is linked to a 10% lower risk of coronary artery disease.
   • Engaging in about 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is characterized by activity that maintains a heart rate between 50 to 70 percent of the individual’s maximum heart rate, calculated as 220 beats per minute minus the person’s age.

   Prevalent Barriers to obesity within the African American population.

   As we know, obesity stands as a significant health concern affecting the lives of African Americans. It is imperative to grasp the barriers that contribute to the rising rates of obesity within this population.

   Obesity is characterized by excessive body fat accumulation influenced by environmental and genetic factors and poses various health risks, including specific cancers, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. Omondi & Freysteinson (2023) estimated annual medical expenses related to obesity issues in the United States to be around $147 billion. Research reveals that obesity prevalence is notably high among African Americans, with rates around 49.6%, surpassing non-Hispanic Whites at 42.2%. Mainly, obesity rates are higher among African American women, reaching 56.9%, compared to 41.1% among African American men (Lofton et al., 2023).

   Access to nutritious foods is limited for African Americans, who often consume less nutritious diets with high levels of added sugars and fried foods. Multiple obstacles hinder healthy eating habits, including limited knowledge, the cost of nutritious foods, time constraints for meal preparation, reliance on transportation to access stores, and communication barriers with healthcare providers regarding dietary habits.

   Similarly, opportunities for physical activity are restricted, exacerbating the obesity issue. Reduced physical activity levels and increased sedentary behaviors like gaming or screen time have been associated with higher body mass index (BMI). African Americans facing obesity encounter various challenges in engaging in physical activity, including a lack of awareness regarding effective exercise methods, limited access to affordable exercise programs, inadequate facilities, transportation limitations, and health concerns.

   References

   Omondi, H., & Freysteinson, W. M. (2023). Understanding Obesity in African American Women Using Leininger’s Theory. Nursing Science Quarterly, 37(1), 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/08943184231207383

   Lofton, H., Ard, J. D., Hunt, R. R., & Knight, M. G. (2023). Obesity among African American people in the United States: A review. Obesity, 31(2), 306–315. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23640

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   The Health Risk Hiding In Your Light Switch and How to Prevent It

   Light at night (LAN) refers to the use of artificial or natural light during nighttime hours for visibility purposes.

    Deprato et al. (2025) reports that approximately 80% of the global population is exposed to light-polluted skies, and LAN is now considered a major environmental pollutant. Sources include streetlights, vehicles, homes, industries, and even atmospheric reflections.

   LAN disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm, the internal 24-hour clock regulated by the brain’s suprachiasmatic nucleus. When artificial light interferes with natural dark–light patterns, it delays the circadian clock and sleep-wake cycle, leading to melatonin suppression, sleep disturbances, and an increased risk of various diseases (Deprato et al., 2025). Blue-rich and bright LED lights cause the most significant disruption (Deprato et al., 2025). The study reports that LAN exposure is linked to higher rates of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other severe mental disorders, likely due to circadian misalignment, sleep deprivation, and changes in brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine.

    Implications:

   1.The findings suggest that light pollution and artificial light exposure at night are not only environmental/visual concerns but also have mental health implications.

   2. Encourages rethinking nighttime habits — including screen use before bed, bedroom lighting, blackout curtains, and managing exposure to streetlights or indoor lights at night.

   3.The implications of light at night may vary by culture or by groups

   4. Designing homes and neighborhoods that minimize intrusive nighttime lighting in bedrooms, promoting lighting standards that consider human health

   Prevention/ Mitigation strategies

   1.Reduce screen time before bed: Use “night mode” or blue-light filters on devices, dim the brightness, and avoid stimulating content.

   2. Improve bedroom lighting: Use blackout curtains, turn off or dim indoor lights, remove bright electronic indicators, and opt for warm, low-intensity lighting in the evening.

   3. Maintain a consistent sleep–wake schedule: Even if artificial light is present, a regular circadian rhythm helps mitigate disruptions.

   4. Use lighting design for sleep: In the evening, switch to warmer (red/orange) wavelengths; avoid bright overhead white/blue light late at night.

   5.Monitor and adjust ambient outdoor lighting: If streetlights are intrusive, consider using blackout curtains or an eye mask; if indoor lighting spills into the night, turn off non-essential lights.

   Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179188

   Four Impacts of Positive Music on Health

   .

   As a tool for emotional intervention, music can elicit strong emotions in people. The emotions that music elicits are much more in line with a person’s emotional state than are static pictures. Music positively affects college students’ emotional control because it can make people happy and forget their worries.

    Evidenced-based research reported the following impacts of positive music.

   1. Using a variety of methodological strategies shows a link between specific uses of music and the improvement of emotional well-being and mental health.
   2.  Singing, drumming, playing music, and listening to music have all been shown to enhance mental health outcomes by reducing anxiety and depression levels. It has been proposed that listening to music, particularly for older adults, can lessen depressive symptoms in terms of mental health.
   3.  Listening to music might decrease perceptions of pain among hospitalized patients. However, it’s indicated that how music is listened to and used matters. When used as a problem-oriented coping strategy, it may lower depression symptoms; however, when used as a disassociation or avoidance strategy, it could worsen depressive symptoms. Studies have indicated that the combination of music therapy and standard care was more effective than routine care alone in reducing clinical depression in working-age individuals.
   4. Singing studies involving older adults found that group singing significantly improved the quality of life-related to mental health, and this effect persisted for three months after the program ended

   How to Survive During Rising Costs and Government Shutdown

   With the government shutdown, many aspects of daily life have been severely impacted. The rate of food insecurity is increasing, and challenges related to housing, transportation, and other social determinants of health are becoming more pressing. SNAP benefits have been frozen, leaving many families struggling to put food on the table. As a result, more individuals and families are turning to food pantries and community resources for support.

   At the same time, the cost of food and necessities continues to rise, deepening the struggles faced by countless households. These are difficult times, but I want to encourage everyone affected to stay strong, remain hopeful, and trust that better days are ahead.

   Here are some practical ways to cope and survive during the rising costs and government shutdown:

   Prioritize Your Needs

   • You must focus on needs such as housing, food, transportation, utilities, and medication.
   • Decrease or pause non-essential spending, such as new purchases, entertainment, or dining out.

     Manage Your Money Wisely

   • Avoid any unnecessary debt.
   • Prioritize rent/mortgage and food.
   • Discuss with your utility company, landlord, or bank to explore any available payment plans or deferments during the shutdown.

   Explore any available community resources

   • Assess community and faith-based resources (Local food banks, churches, non-profits) for support with food and bills.
   • Check your city’s website to find out what supports are available to access.

      Protect Your Mental and Emotional Health during the difficult time

   • Financial insecurity can be draining. Stay connected with family, friends, and coworkers for emotional support.
   • Get good exercise, rest, and be consistent with your routines
   • Have faith and be hopeful that the challenges are temporary and will surely pass
   • Focus on what’s within your control.

   Maintain Perspective

   • Use this period to build your financial discipline and strength
   • Celebrate each time you pay a bill and make meals; a win is worth celebrating
   • Reflect on value by focusing on more relationships, essentials, and faith than on any material things