10 Quick Tricks to Help Seniors with Depression
Everyone has their bad days, but when it comes to the two million Americans over the age of 65 who suffer from depression, there are some additional concerns. Seniors are more likely to stay quiet about their problems, while depression itself has often been linked to cardiovascular disease and increased risk of death from illness.
If you are worried about your loved one’s mental health, please seek professional advice for a more long-term fix. However, if you require some immediate relief, read the following 10 mood-lifting solutions:
- Encourage Slower, Deeper Breathing
In times of high anxiety, one needs to calm their rapid heartbeat in order to diffuse the fight or flight mode response. The easiest way to achieve this is by exercising meditation techniques, including the relaxation of the breath and visualizing positive outcomes. This approach will offer their thoughts the much-needed space required to calculate the next logical step.
- Go for a Walk Outside
Sometimes a 10-minute walk outside is all the mood needs to improve itself. The endorphins will start to flow, the blood will get pumping, and the lungs will fill with nature’s fresh oxygen. If walking is a difficulty, utilize an aid in maintaining balance, and remember that even a walk in a wheelchair can lift those spirits up as you bask in the sun’s healthy rays. What’s more, this physical activity will also help everyone to sleep better at night.
- Transform Your Indoor Environment
If you can’t venture outside, then bring nature inside to you with flowers, plants, and open windows. Turn the house into a distracting project by decluttering any messy spaces, rearranging the furniture, or fixing something. These activities will provide purpose and a measurable sense of achievement. And while you’re at it, always wear your most vibrant clothing to brighten the atmosphere wherever you go.
- Surround Them with Happy Things
Turn off the news, steer clear of negative people, and keep positive objects in the line of vision at all times. Try flicking through old family photos, memorabilia of recent travels, or collect pictures of places they would still love to visit one day. Protect their internal wellbeing by rejecting any sources of external gloom.
- Speak Positively
Help your loved ones to compile a list of everything there is to be grateful for. These items can be as simple as their morning breakfast, the home they live in, or their family. Focus on their achievements in life and repeat encouraging affirmations to build up their pride. If you are struggling to find examples, compare their fortunes to those millions of people who are far worse off than they are.
- Laughter is the Best Medicine
It’s contradictory for joy and misery to coexist, so scare away that depression with the power of a small chuckle. Tell jokes, put on a funny film, watch cat videos online, or make silly faces at them. Just do whatever it takes to crack a smile, and once you’ve broken through, the rest should effortlessly fall into place.
- Make Physical Contact
Everyone needs human attention, hence why a little physical contact can go a long way. Embrace those you care for in a lengthy hug, hold their hands while you talk to them, or pick up the phone if you’re not around. This type of loving treatment can shift someone’s attitude in a matter of minutes.
- Provide Mood-Boosting Foods
While feeding someone is already a selfless display of affection, you should also select specific foods which are known to improve a person’s frame of mind. According to Fall out fitness, The amino acids in a banana have been shown to help produce serotonin. Spinach is full of zinc and magnesium which protects against anxiety. Green tea warms the insides and blesses the system with various depression-fighting antioxidants. And finally, dark chocolate raises the serotonin levels while serving that special type of pleasure only chocolate can.
- Retail Therapy
One surefire way to surprise the depression right out of someone is to give them an unexpected present. This could include anything they’ve expressed an interest in, be it clothing, a simple ornament, a nice meal out, or even just a single flower. That said, be careful when it comes to unhealthy options such as junk food, wine, or cigarettes, for these temporary joys can often drop a person’s mood into a worse place shortly following.
- Suggest a Nap
It’s no secret that an exhausted mind is more vulnerable to chemical instability and wobbly emotions. For this reason, a brief nap could be the quick ticket that you are looking for to calm their mood and rejuvenate their energy. On that thought, however, you must always ensure that their daytime snoozing doesn’t interfere with their nightly sleep routine.