If you are suffering from depression or anxiety, you can see your doctor to get needed medications that help to fix the hormone imbalance. However, a focus on full-body healing can also help improve your quality of life. Here are a few things you can do to approach depression from a holistic medicine perspective, and why those things can make a difference for managing or overcoming depression. 

1. Exercise

Exercise is good for helping to manage depression because it trains your body to have a higher threshold for stress. Exercise puts your body into a temporary stressful state, so consistent exercise helps your body adapt to this level of stress, which makes it harder for you to experience stress at rest. For depression and anxiety, this increased stress threshold can make a big difference.

Also, exercise increases your confidence and you can experience a dose of hormones that help you to feel happier after working out. When you have depression you might not feel motivated to work out. Simply taking a walk is a good place to start, but try and find something you enjoy; don't force yourself to stick with a workout that you hate. 

2. Adequate rest

Sometimes people with depression and anxiety can have a harder time getting the rest they need. You might have trouble falling asleep or you might wake up early in the morning and not be able to get back to sleep. You might try helping your sleep with melatonin supplements, or by using essential oils that encourage relaxation. Try using a white noise machine, calming music, or even an audiobook to help promote better rest. 

3. Meditation

Meditation is a simple, daily activity that can have a huge impact on your overall mental health. As you meditate, you practice deep breathing and metacognition, which can help you train your mind to be more objective. Meditation strengthens your ability to have mental clarity, so even if you are plagued with depressive thought, meditation can bring you a sense of wellness and ease. For anxiety, the deep breathing helps you to practice calming yourself so that when you do have an anxious episode, you are better equipped to handle it both mentally and physically. 

4. Time in nature

Finally, give yourself some time in nature. You might take a walk through a local park, do an easy hike on the weekends, or just sit in your backyard. Closeness to green space causes your body to release endorphins which can boost feelings of happiness. 

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