Next time you catch yourself feeling blue or depressed, why not get up and go for a walk outside? The fresh air, sunshine, and change of scenery will do you good in more ways than one.
We all know there are health benefits to walking, such as helping you to maintain a healthy weight and strengthening your heart, but did you know it is also a mood booster? It's true.
Leaving your home and changing your surroundings for an hour or so each day actually stimulates your brain and signals it to produce more serotonin - which helps you feel better! Walking outside for an at last 30 minutes each day can help relieve depression symptoms because exercise increases the feel-good chemicals in your brain, hence providing relief from depression symptoms for several hours.
Fresh air and sunshine can also help with sleeping better if your feelings of depression have been causing you to lose sleep.
How? Walking in the light of day helps to naturally reset your internal "body clock", reminding your body that during daylight hours you are supposed to be awake and that an absence of sunlight (night-time) is a signal that it is time to sleep.
You will feel better if you go outside and walk around on purpose, for the sake of walking out of doors and calming your mind.
Those scant, brief minutes you're out of your car, walking to this place or that while running errands or paying bills don't count.
So take some time out for yourself each day to simply walk outside and do it intentionally, for your better health.
While you're out, try to remember to take good, full, deep breaths.
Balanced breathing helps your body to relax and you tend to feel better (instead of feeling depressed) and sleep better (instead of being forced to deal with the wakefulness of insomnia) when your body is in a more relaxed state.
Take advantage of any opportunity you can find to get outside and enjoy the outdoors since this can help with relief from depression symptoms.