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).

[Artemisia]

I really really need this.

Tomorrow I will commit to having my morning cuppa downstairs and dedicate some time to housework (my nemesis!).

[Just Sara]

Hi Karen;

Kudos for this great topic!

My issue is; coming from a chaotic household in childhood and following thru during my adult yrs. I feel so comfortable with non routine days. Go with the flow, which usually puts me in situations I 'like' doing, not 'must' do ideals.

In my 50's and still trying to get into the groove, (shaking my head in disgust) it's become a real issue of contention considering my health depends on it now.

Any ideas how to approach this would be gratefully appreciated.

Sez

PS...Dear Birdy, I laughed my tail off at your Chairdrobe! Ah ha ha ha

[Ggrand]

Hello Sez,

The order or disorder you do you daily chores (routine). are ok, it doesn't really matter,if you do the chores you like to do first, that's fine also, leave the ones you don't like doing for another day.

Sez... 1st.....The most important things are your sleep pattern, we need 7-8 hours sleep every night,to maintain our energy levels throughout the day. It's like if you were at school or working, bed time should be the same nightly, try waking up same time mornings, use an alarm clock if needed.

2nd...The next important step is to get out of bed on awakening, and to stay out of bed, get dressed, make the bed, prior to having your morning beverage, which should be done in another part of your home anywhere except having it in bed..

3rd....Stay out of bed for the day by you finding things you like to keep busy, keep your mind from your negative thoughts by doing anything you want to do, "Mindfulness "

Sez...... the depressed need to get up out of bed daily and stay up each day, get dressed, personal hygiene, do what they can to keep a clean & healthy environment to live in.

It doesn't matter which order you do things or don't do them in..If you do the jobs you like first, you can leave the other jobs for another time when you are able to complete them.

Going with the flow is ok as well Sez, just try to keep your meal times, roughly around the same time daily eat healthy meals, and snacks, get enough sleep nightly.

I hope I was of some help...I have a hard time in trying to understand Questions at time,

Paul.... yes you are right, "an idle mind is the devils playground". Thank you for pointing that out. 🤗

Kind and caring thoughts,

Karen.

[quirkywords]

Birdy'it is funny how words go in and out of usage.

About 20 years ago my daughter told us she had a floordrobe, - there was no room for a chairdrobe !

I hadn't heard it used for years then I heard someone use it a while ago as if it was a new word.

There is a great article about filers and pilers and I am a piler as I just pile things up instead of putting things away like a filer.

Karen I will get back on track by tying it in, as when I feel low, things pile up as putting things away is too much effort. I know if I say will put 5 items away and then it does not seem so overwhelming.

Karen that was detailed and helpful reply to Sez. You write so clearly, in such a caring and understanding way.

Quirky

[Birdy77]

Quirky, Ha!!

I heard Floordrobe a few years ago and thought it was new ... i was excited that finally there is a name for that monstrosity on my floor. Didn't know it was an old term.

I am definitely a piler, not a filer. Not fun at tax time either.

Funny you mentioned having a goal of putting away 5 items, my partner always asks me if maybe just 5 items could find their way from the chair to the actual wardrobe?

So, tying it back to Karen's theme: that was my goal today, to put 5 items back where they live, i felt it was all i could manage today.

Well I'm proud to announce that the chair is empty , i have one of my washing baskets back in circulation (it was buried under the mountain), i managed to put some of the items in the donation pile and my bedroom feels so much calmer. Yippee!!

🌻birdy

[Just Sara]

Hey Karen, Quirky and Birdy; (Welcome to Artimisia too)

I feel a little less down on myself thanks to you guys, especially you Karen. 🙂

I thought doing things 'in order' was expected, like doing my washing up. (There's claimed to be 1000's of ways to wash up, but my way's best - no, really!)

I have my own routine which I CANNOT have any variance with. (Else the the world will come crashing down upon my hallelujah crazy woman controlling head oh dear Lord Amen!!) - OCD, or the Overlord Crusading Dishwasher! HA!

Glasses, cups, cutlery, (one piece at a time!) crockery, containers/large bowls, microwave plate, pots, baking/roasting pans and grill, then rinse. If I've missed anything... it's not important.

No room for a robot dishwasher; I'm it.

Hmm...it does sound out of line with my lack of daily routines in the house, but it's a habit I've developed since growing up.

It's the same with hanging clothes on the line; same routine and 'way' of hanging items. I suppose I do actually have routines, just not like on a duty roster.

Have I exposed too much of myself tonight? (Laughing..) ;-D Whatever!

Good to have a giggle with you all..

Sez

[Elizabeth CP]

I remember my mum telling me that when I was a (very difficult) baby her mum had advised her to put the dishes in the sink, grab her had & go out in the morning. While this isn't a solution for all situations it illustrates the importance of prioritising to suit your current circumstances. In this instance mum & I would have been cleaned dressed & fed. Dishes in the sink limited the mess & made it easy to catch up on getting home. Going out was then the next priority giving mum a break from my incessant crying & the never-ending housework. This break allowed mum to stop her regular chores get some fresh air, meet some other adults even if it was just a shopkeeper & feel better & more able to cope when she returned home.

When working out a morning routine work out what is essential to do first & then allow time to do whatever will help you cope better. Whether this is going for a walk or some other exercise, reading a book, writing in a journal, taking time to brainstorm ideas of things you'd like to try, as long as it works for you and your current needs then do it. For some people doing the same thing each day is good as it helps establish good habits. For others maybe scheduling a set time of me time were you go with the flow trying different things to suit your mood or to see what works. Nothing is set in concrete. This routine is a chance to learn what helps & if you change it you are learning not failing.

[Ggrand]

Hello Sez, Elizabeth, Quirky, Birdy,

The morning routine is basically to get out of bed, dressed etc: The things you feel like doing after your breakfast is to keep you out of bed and to keep your mind busy, mindfulness , It doesn't really matter what you do which order you do them in or how you do them. That is entirely up you as individuals and your preferences..

When we get so down in depression we want to stay in bed, which when we do, keeps our thoughts which will escalate our thinking of sadness,depression, into emotions which starts the tears,anger,self hate etc:

If after we have done the main and most important part of our morning routine of getting out of bed and staying out, we can start doing simple chores, craft,washing up, putting 5 items of clothing away, reading, Elizabeth's suggestion of walking, whatever you feel like doing as long as it's not in bed.

Doing these chores keeps our minds from getting to the emotional stage of our depression with a 100% attention payed to what we are doing.

Love the chairrobe, I used to (still do sometimes), have a habit of putting my folded up clothes on my bedroom dressing table, because I thought I wear these clothes mostly so i would leave them until I need them.

Thank you all for your input, I appreciate all your suggestions .

Kindness only,

Karen.

[Ggrand]

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying the cooler weather.

A rough near sleepless night got me up at around 4.30am, I completed the morning routine of getting out of bed, dressed etc befor 6.am.

Then sitting on my lounge feeling absolutely crappy, thinking wow it's so early, That unwanted deep sadness fast approaching me,..I need to do something quickly before it takes me down for the day.

I got my vacuum cleaner out, I will clean up the loungeroom today. I started to vacuum, when those triggers hit, tears not stopping, I went to bed..No not staying in bed I got up and continued my vacuuming tears and all. I did it I finished the vacuuming, ok next I tackled the furniture, spraying polish and buffing it off but with tears was making a smudgy mess... ok I will come back to the larger pieces of furniture, I started on my bookcases full of little treasures from trash and treause markets, garage sales etc.

I took every ornament out of 2 book cases and a China cabinet, everyone of them I polished slowly, taking in the texture,the feel, the look I wanted them shiny again. It took me over 3 hours to do the polishing and replacing them, I forgot where they went so new positions for them. I counted as I went, 196 pieces I polished and put away, Oh I didn't notice but my eyes are dry tears had stopped when I don't know but they did.

I took a cuppa tea break then, oh yeah a little chockie chip muffin as well. Yes It was yummy, just to let you all know..

I struggled to get up, but I did, I then finished off the coffee table now, streak free, put vacuum away, then mopped the loungeroom floor around the mat that sits in the middle of my floor, put the bucket n mop away.

Job finished, Room is clean. ...it's now 3.18pm ... My morning ran into the afternoon.

I'm very emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted now.. . Time I think for a nanny nap. After all I am a nana.

Doing something to keep me busy gave me a rest from tears, it was a struggle but well worth it.

I could have given up and stayed in bed, would have been so easy to do. I fought my demons today and I won.

Tomorrow I might not win. But today I did.

Distraction works.

Kindness only.

Karen.

[Birdy77]

Dearest Karen,

That was such an inspirational post!

Thank you so much for sharing your day with us.

Power to you lovely lady.

🌻birdy