Firstly, this is regarding feeling depressed, not depression the mental disorder. If you suffer with this disorder, feel free to try the tips I have listed below but please consult a medical professional.

On that note, have you ever felt very sluggish and sad for no reason? We have all been there, spent an entire weekend in our bedroom probably not doing much apart from Netflix, it feels crap, but we still do it. Why?

Bingeing is Poison

Binging a show or an entire game in one sitting or one session can feel great, but most of the time it feels horrible as if we just achieved nothing apart from existing for 15 hours or worse.

Our brain loves the continuous stream of dopamine we get from watching a show. This is great on paper but like I discussed in my “Top 6 Methods That Helped Me Stop Doom Scrolling” this is not healthy as we are being rewarded for not doing much. Binge-watching is fun in the short run, however when it exceeds 12 hours it will start to feel horrible and even worse the next day.

Why does it feel bad though? This is because the habit promotes social isolation, sleeping irregularities and allows you to temporarily escape from life issues, which when not addressed will only worsen.

Monotonous Environment

Making your life centred around the same environment can make you feel safe or like you are in a routine, however doing this for a prolonged amount can cause a lot of issues anywhere from difficulty concentrating to chronic fatigue and anxiety.

Why does this have such an effect on us? Well this is for 3 main reasons:

• Lack of Vitamin D - A deficiency for Vitamin D can cause fatigue as well as mood changes.
• Social Isolation - Staying in the same room usually means not interacting with different people on a frequent basis, this goes against our nature and can cause negative effects on our mood.
• Unstimulating Environment - Having an environment that doesn’t “tickle” your brain well can cause boredom as well as fatigue.

As you can see most of the symptoms for this are literally just fatigue and mood degradation, this is all it takes really to make someone feel horrible and constantly tired.

Diet is King

When people hear the word diet, they usually associate it with eating less food to become slimmer. Although this is true, diet that maximises your minerals, macros and vitamins can make you happier… no really!

Nutrient deficiencies are very common in the short term. If you live off of the same few foods that aren’t very nutritional like snacks, microwaved meals and frozen pizzas, you might want to diversify your diet. The symptoms of not having a poor diet can lead to; weight problems, headaches, fatigue, hair loss, brittle fingernails and so much more.

If you want to explore new foods that are high in nutrients I suggest the below;

• Nuts! More specifically Almonds - Very high in protein as well as fatty acids.
• Meat - Depending on your weight, I suggest eating leaner pieces of meat if you’re overweight and more fatty ones if you are underweight. Fish, especially Salmon, are very high in Omega-3 (fish oil) that is very good for your heart, brain and eye health.
• Vegetables - Although a lot of people hate greens, they are very necessary for health and well being. Try aiming to have a few different vegetables a week, if money is of concern you can buy pasta sauces that use many different vegetables.

Obviously try to eat fruits as well however Vegetables, mainly dark greens, are lower in sugars and tend to be higher in nutrients.

TL;DR

Feeling low and sluggish is normal, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Focus on doing tasks you enjoy, limiting time in-doors and having a good diet. All of these might make you feel better but remember that happiness comes and goes and if you feel hopeless and are actively trying to feel better, contact a professional.

You're not alone, please reach out to friends and family if you are struggling

Yours Truly,

Szymon