DEPRESSION AND OUR DAILY ROUTINE. WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK.

[Ggrand]

Hello,

A lot of us (me included). take to our bed for days on end when we are depressed.

This is unhealthy for us...We need to look after us as best we can, I feel we should try as hard as we possibly can to make up a routine to keep us healthy and get us out of bed.

I believe we need structure in our lives more so when we are depressed,

A sense of structure is important to provide goal to your day, it gives a pattern to your day which supports your body's natural health structure.

• I think it's important to try to go to bed each night around the same time. Put away your phones,I pads etc, put on some soft music and drift away to sleep.
• Set the alarm to get up the same time each day, but don't just wake up, get up out of bed, open blinds, curtains the doors, let some sunlight into your home.
• Try having a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, keeping roughly the same times to eat and enjoy the meals, we need to eat healthy meals daily to fuel our bodies for healing.
• Try having a morning and afternoon cup of tea or coffee, maybe a couple of bickies as well, or my favourite cake.

• Try some light excersises throughout the day, or go for a short walk daily. even walking around your yard, just doing something will give our mind a rest.

A daily bath or shower either morning, night or both, a bath or shower late at night might releases some stress and many relaxe us a little for sleeping.

1. House work, not fun but necessary to keep our environment clean and healthy, set a day for washing, another day for ironing, try washing the dishes daily.

Even if we just set a few of these goals to start with, it will still give us a purpose for the day, a purpose to get out of bed.

Once we get into a routine we can then slowly add to our days activities to maybe add some social events, hobbies, things we like to do, things we enjoy doing.

Recovery has to come from us, we can't give up on us. We have to try to help ourselves to mend our broken minds.

All these activities will be doing mindfulness, getting our mind away from our dark thoughts while we are carrying out these simple but necessary tasks.

All thoughts are welcome.

Kindness only ,

Karen..(GG).

[quirkywords]

Karen,

great thread.

I love routines and lists.

Some suggested I keep a 'have done ' list as well as a too do one as sometimes to do lists are overwhelming.

I only put 3 things at the very most on a list on a bad day.

Once I wrote "write a do to list " as number one on my list.

cross it off as number 2- so I had achieved 2 things and it makes me smile.

I think you are wonderful to inspire others when you feel low. I really admire that in you and I envy the way you think up great thread ideas.

Quirky

[blondguy]

Hi Karen

You have many great points in your introductory post

I really like what you mentioned about turning the cellphones and tablets (ipads) off before sleep. I dont want to be a pain to anyone that finds a cell phone beneficial at night but they do over stimulate brain activity and thus the quality of sleep will be reduced by just the anticipation of an incoming call.

Great thread GG (Karen)

My Kind thoughts

Paul

[blondguy]

Hi Karen

You have many great points in your introductory post

I really like what you mentioned about turning the cellphones and tablets (ipads) off before sleep. I dont want to be a pain to anyone that finds a cell phone beneficial at night but they do over stimulate brain activity and thus the quality of sleep will be reduced by just the anticipation of an incoming call.

Great thread GG (Karen)

My Kind thoughts

Paul

[white knight]

Hi gg

Karen, what an awesome thread.

This will help a lot of people.

Tony WK

[Ggrand]

Hi Tony,

Thank you Tony, hoping it's a catch 22 situation.

I did some research a few days ago trying to get myself out of bed and start being proactive. I found this, thought while helping others it will help me also..

Karen

[Ggrand]

Hello posters and readers.

Depression requires a daily routine to successfully cope with the illness.

Depression take your control for the day away from you. Depression is controlling your day. Depression is not a routine, but an illness that controls you and your day.

The more you follow a routine the less depression has control over you. Establishing a daily routine can combat depressions unpredictability, because it creates stability for an unstable mind.

Its important that you create your own tailored made routine that you can successfully stick to.

I can't say it enough, sleeping patterns, we need 7-8 hours sleep every night to help us function for the day. We need to set a regular bedtime and wake-up time..

A EASY BUT GOOD MORNING ROUTINE..

An easy on waking routine could be,...get dressed, make the bed, wash your face, comb your hair, prepare a morning cuppa, eat breakfast, wash up and put dishes away, brush teeth...This should be done each day..

The morning routine over with, make some time for you, some suggestions could be..read a book, go for a walk, play internet games, gardening,tidying up the house, watch tv. I like to put music on when cleaning or gardening as listening to music mindfully while cleaning or gardening leaves no room for depressed thoughts to take over.

This is a simple example of filling your time with a routine for mornings.. maybe this suits you, if not work of this and make one that suits you, don't go to hard to fast, be gentle with yourself,

Kind thoughts

Karen.

[Sad_Mushroom]

Hi GG,

I think the morning start (routine) can set the feel for the day.

I know when I'm being lazy I'll wake up, grab a coffee then sit in bed having coffee and reading online. Next thing I know half the day is gone and I feel guilty for not accomplishing anything. I end up thinking the day is wasted and I can't be bothered even trying then.

Yet, if I get up and get dressed and start moving around I feel energised and positive. I have the whole day ahead of me to accomplish many things.

SM

[Elizabeth CP]

Karen You have described a GOOD morning routine so well it is inspiring to all who read it. I hope this also helps you not just following the routine but knowing you have inspired others to carry out a routine which is healthy for everyone but particularly those who are MI.

[Ggrand]

Hello Sad Mushroom, Elizabeth,

Thank you both for your kind words,

Sad....once we take our morning coffe, tea etc back to bed after we wake up. There is then a huge possibility that our day will end in bed. If we can manage to get up for that morning beverage, why not get dressed first, then use the bathroom, put the jug on, while the jug is heating up to boil we can then make our bed instead of standing around waiting for it to boil.We can then enjoy our beverage either sitting outside taking in the sounds of morning or sit at the table and enjoy the fact that we made it out of bed.

Elizabeth...Thank you for kind comments, If it helps even 1 person get up out of bed and give it a try I will be pleased.

What are the type of activities do you do of a morning to keep you and your mind busy.?

kind thoughts

Karen.

[blondguy]

Hello Karen

Your morning routine is a huge help to so many with this awful illness of depression.

I am not a big fan of 'old sayings' and please correct me if I am wrong....Isnt an idle mind the devils playground?

You mentioned being occupied during our day. I have also found this a huge help with my depression for so many years

Thankyou for the great thread Karen

My Kind thoughts

Paul