Treating Depression without Medication

Many people with low serotonin take prescription drugs with unpleasant side effects. Sometimes these side effects are worth the benefit received. Other patients continue to wonder if treating depression without medication is possible. Fortunately, there are many things that help turn that frown upside down that are completely natural. Here’s a rundown of a few simple things you might want to try this spring to improve your mood.

Exercise for Healthy Mood

Your body depends on physical exercise to maintain healthy blood flow to all parts of the body, including the brain. With poor blood flow, your brain isn’t going to function as it should, and this includes producing healthy amounts of the chemicals that make you feel good, such as serotonin, dopamine and others. You don’t have to go running to get some good blood flow. In fact, excessive running or jogging can actually harm your mood by draining your hormones and raising cortisol. Just going for a walk can make a huge difference in mood, not only by increasing blood flow to the brain, but also by increasing testosterone, relieving stress, and stimulating the brain with interesting things in the environment.

Can’t Get Outside? No Worries

There are numerous calisthenics and bodyweight strength training exercises, like pushups and pullups, you can do in spare moments here and there. Jumping jacks, bodyweight squats, lunges, and more can be done right next to your desk in the comfort of your home or office, without any equipment necessary. Just keeping the blood flowing like this can make a huge positive difference in the way your perceive yourself and your environment. Getting some exercise means you’ll sleep better and have an easier time getting your work done, too.

Better Mood Through Blood Sugar Control

When you’re feeling low, you probably crave carbohydrates. But if you eat refined carbs, such as white bread or foods full of sugar, your blood sugar is going to spike and raise serotonin, and then crash again a few hours later, leaving your serotonin in the gutter as well. You can keep your mood more even by eating carbs with plenty of protein, fat, and fiber to slow digestion down. If you really want to eat sweet foods or candy, you can reduce the effect they have on your blood sugar by eating them on top of high-protein meals.

Boosting Serotonin as A Natural Treatment for Depression

It’s easier than you might think to alter your brain chemistry in favor of an improved mood. Serotonin is heavily involved in feelings of contentment, happiness and pleasure. People who suffer from too little serotonin often find themselves feeling depressed and incapable of enjoying things. The most popular solution for years has been to take prescription antidepressants, but these have been found to have numerous unpleasant and even potentially dangerous side effects. Furthermore, evidence suggests that they stop working after a few months. As a result, more people are searching for a natural treatment for depression. Here are some of the simple things you can do to increase your levels naturally.

Lavender

Lavender has long been associated with healing and relaxation, but until modern times, nobody really knew why. Today, we know that lavender is able to trigger the release of serotonin from the brain’s raphe nuclei when inhaled. Lavender essential oil is common and inexpensive. Try adding some to a hot bath before bed, as the release of serotonin will allow the manufacture of melatonin. This promotes restful sleep and produces a direct positive effect on overall serotonin levels. Because lavender is edible, you can also put the whole herb in some tea and breathe in its soothing vapors.

Ignore the Low Carb Craze

Too much of anything isn’t good for you, but not having enough can be just as bad in many ways. Restricting carbohydrate intake to a bare minimum is a popular weight loss strategy which can have a serious impact on serotonin. Your body requires sufficient carbohydrate intake in order to produce the neurotransmitter, so depriving yourself may cause you to feel depressed and unsatisfied. In fact, the lack of serotonin may be why diets like these so often fail due to binge eating. People with low serotonin commonly feel an intense desire for carbohydrates and other ‘comfort’ foods, which could be their body’s way of trying to bring serotonin levels back to normal.

Get Outside

Science has demonstrated that sunlight may be a natural treatment for depression due to its positive effects on your brain’s serotonin production. Some people are more sensitive to a lack of sunlight than others, resulting in a condition known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD. If you’re feeling blue from being cooped up inside all winter, now it the time to change it. Find any reason you can think of to go outside, whether it’s checking the mail, going to the store or just going for a walk. As long as you avoid becoming sunburned, the longer you can stay out, the better you will feel.